Smoldering Rose
by SnowieBearSnarl
Summary: A single event, a slight difference, only twenty seconds too late and everything changed when Glynda Goodwitch failed to save Ruby from Roman Torchwick in their first encounter. Now, everything will change; for Ruby, for those close to her, those that would have been close to her, and for Beacon Academy itself and everyone in it. This is how just twenty seconds changed destiny.
1. Twenty Seconds Too Late

The city was steeped in darkness, sparse city lights on this particular part of town left most of the night to be illuminated by the shattered moon. A faint orange glow faded in and out of brightness as Roman Torchwick took in deep drags off his cigar.

He walked purposefully down the alley, his subordinates at his back. He felt comfortable in the darkness, he felt power and security there. It was his element, his domain, and he knew that within it, he would always survive. He and his goons came to a stop at the end of the shady alley as the lights from a store window burned through the shadows, with a cocksure grin, he took a long, deep breath, fragrant smoke filling his lungs.

 _Finally._ He thought to himself, growing hungry for some action. With a subtle gesture of his head he walked forward, signaling his goons to follow him into the store. A bell on the door chimed as they filed in with a confident swagger. The old guy manning the storefront looked uneasy, Roman could sense his fear, it gave him that thrill he'd been waiting for. Callously, he tapped the ashes onto the floor right in front of the old man.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a dust shop open this late?" He asked calmly. In the next moment, the hired goon beside him pulled a gun on the terrified man. He looked like he might just have a heart attack, forcing Roman to stifle a smile. _No laughing now Roman, got to be professional._

"Grab the dust!" He commanded. His henchmen fanned out, grabbing as much dust and dust crystals as they could. He watched as they filled container after container. _Good, this going perfectly, no cops, no Huntsman, no-_

"Are you… robbing me?" A small soft voice came from the back of the store. It was that of a young girl. He didn't expect anyone else to be there.

 _I hope that kid keeps her mouth shut and doesn't try to call the police, I like when things go smoothly._

In the next moment his men were sent flying out the window followed closely by a red blur and… rose petals?

Roman moved behind his men looking out the shattered window at an incredible sight; A little girl in a red hood and cape standing confidently, ready to face them as her weapon was drawn, a massive scythe with what looked like a scope attached. The girl stuck a combat pose, glaring defiantly at them.

"Okay…" He looked impatiently at his men. "Get her!"

The goon rushed her, but they were no match for the girl in red, getting mowed down the the cannon fodder they were. He breathed a sigh of exasperation, throwing his cigar to the ground, snuffing it out with the end of his cane.

"You were worth every cent, truly you were." He shook his in disappointment. _Alright Red, this, I didn't see coming. I'll give you that._

He pulled his cane up from the ground, ashes falling from it as he took his aim at the girl. A small lense with crosshairs popped up from it's tip and then he pulled the trigger. An explosion erupted from the ground just in front of the girl, throwing her backwards. She recovered quickly, falling into a flip and landing on her feet.

 _Bon voyage, Red!_ He chuckled to himself as he scurried up the side of a building, ascending the ladder that led to the roof as fast as he could. _Okay, things didn't go exactly as planned, Cinder won't be thrilled, but at least-_

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a powerful gun firing and then what sounded like something landing on the roof behind him. He came to a stop, his back to who he was sure was behind him.

"Persistent." Roman said bitterly. The air and building began to tremble as a jet ascended from behind it, keeping level and close enough to the building for Roman to get in. The door opened and he stepped inside. _At least the escape is going more or less as planned, Red's intrusion aside. Speaking of which…_

Roman turned around to face the girl in the red hood, his grin confident as sly. He pulled out a red Dust crystal and looked the girl right in the eyes.

"End of the line, Red!" He tossed the crystal right in front of her, he almost felt pity for the girl as she stared dumbly down at it, having no idea what was coming. Still, without hesitation he fire his cane, the already deadly explosion it released was amplified immensely as it struck the red crystal, the concussive blast made the build quake as the young girl was sent flying, her weapon skidding along the ground in a different direction, both coming to a hard stop as the slammed into the short wall that surrounded the roof.

The small girl laid crumpled up, her clothes singed and tattered and her body lying limp, curled up in an unconscious ball and her head only inches from the walls. Roman stared at her for a long moment as the booming echo from the explosion faded in the distance. _Guess it wasn't your day Red…_

Roman turned around ready to take off in the jet and disappear without a trace, as he always did… but something stopped him, a niggling feeling in his mind that gave him pause.

"Roman, what are you doing? We need to leave." A woman's voice hissed from the pilot's seat. He gritted his teeth, his fist clenching around his cane. _Okay… that could work. Alright, fine Red, looks like your luck got even worse._

Without another moment of hesitation Torchwick dropped his cane onto the floor of the jet and jumped out of the door, running across the rooftop, avoiding the crater he created. _There's no way that explosion didn't draw attention, gotta do this fast._

He came skidding to a stop, his heart pounding in his chest. Kneeling down beside the girl, he could see blood trickling down her face even in the low light. Still, he could hear her labored breathing; she was alive.

Carefully, he scooped her up, cradling her in his arms, her head resting limply in against his chest. The bleeding was pretty bad, he was surprised she survived it at all. L _ook where persistence gets you, Red._

As quickly as he could, Roman hurried back to the jet, leaping from the roof into the door, the extra weight nearly made him topple over.

"Alright, let's go!" Roman shouted to the woman in the pilot's seat as he casually dropped the small girl, her body landing hard against the metal floor of the jet. Even as she slammed onto the floor, she didn't stir or even move.

"What are you doing!?" The woman growled.

"She's a witness and now she's my hostage. I'll deal with her, we need to-" Torchwick was cut off as the jet began getting showered with large spikes of ice from above as they ripped into the metal. The girl's body rolled around as the craft destabilized from the impacts, coming to rest dangerously close to the door.

"We've got a Huntress!" Roman yelled as he ran up to the cockpit, taking to controls of the jet from the woman as she stepped up to the edge of the door.

Standing on the roof was a woman with glasses and blonde hair wielding magic. Roman knew he was out of his league. He chuckled to himself. _But so is that huntress against her._

The battle ended after a quick exchange of fire, but just as Roman thought, Cinder managed to push the Huntress back, giving them room to escape.

As they flew away, the young girl lay in small pool of her own blood, her breaths getting softer and more shallow, having no awareness of what was happening to her.


	2. Divergent Paths

The auditorium was packed full of students, they all watched as one by one, the newest Huntsman and Huntresses in training were assigned their teams and their leaders were designated.

A tall girl with beautiful long blonde hair and lilac eyes watched the ceremony vacantly, her eyes forlorn as she stared up at the team that had just been designated. A boy with short blonde hair was named leader of the team, much to everyone's surprise as he didn't seem the least bit competent.

"Hey!" A hushed voice and a nudge to her side shook her from her stupor. She turned around to see her soon to be official teammates, the one closest to her was apparently a big shot heiress. She seemed a bit stuck up but she knew how to fight and that was all that mattered.

"We're up Yang, come on." The girl named Weiss stood up and started walking to the stage. A girl with black hair with a ribbon adorning her head was close behind her. Finally, a short girl with bright red hair woven into a braid on the side and soft purple eyes gave her Yang a worried look as she walked by.

With a long, deep breath and a heavy sigh, Yang forced herself up. Her body felt unusually heavy, all it wanted to do was collapse. _I have to keep it together, come on, move your ass!_

Yang followed behind the three girls she had fought with just yesterday. She didn't leave the best impression with her more reckless than usual fighting, but they at least knew she was strong. Still, she didn't see herself getting along well with them, especially the ice queen heiress.

"Weiss Schnee, Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladona and Thistle Tsvetok. You chose the white rook pieces and henceforth, you will be know as Team WYBT, and the leader will be… Weiss Schnee."

Weiss gave a dignified nod, but she couldn't help the tiniest smirk of satisfaction from showing on her face. Something about that rubbed Yang the wrong way.

The four girls descended from the stage, their newly designated leader taking up the front, while Yang trailed behind them, even then, she couldn't summon any enthusiasm… her mind was elsewhere.

She turned her head towards the ceiling, looking up at nothing in particular. A powerful ache gripped her heart and she felt an explosive energy welling up within her that has nowhere to go. She wanted to scream and cry and punch until the pain left her… but she knew nothing could dull the pain. Her jaw muscles bulged as she gritted her teeth and her knuckles turned white, her nails digging into her palms painfully.

 _Ruby… where are you?_

* * *

"Alright girls, let's get some sleep and unpack in the morning. It's been a long day.' Weiss smiled as she dropped her large suitcase down beside her bed.

The girls nodded in agreement as they moved to their respective beds. Blake, a quiet girl who spent more time reading the socializing lay a small travel bag at the foot of her bed, taking only a book with her. Yang couldn't help but think that her sister and Blake would probably get along.

 _Both antisocial and bookworms, though maybe Ruby's over the top energy would be a bit much for Blake._

"Alright…" Thistle shrugged, throwing down her large but worn out backpack beside her bed, trying in vain for a few moments to shove it under her bed with her foot before huffing and giving up, plopping herself down in her bed.

 _Ruby and Thistle would definitely get along. Thistle's got a bit of a temper but she's energetic and loves to talk with people. I could imagine those two annoying everyone else here within hours._

"Okay team, let's get some sleep. Early to bed mean early to rise, and we need to get up early to unpack in time for classes." Weiss tucked herself snugly into her bed.

 _I don't see Ruby and Weiss getting along at all! She's so controlling and likes this so orderly, Ruby would probably be her worst nightmare but I bet they'd be good for each other if they get to know… if they… if-_

"Yang… why are you crying?" Thistle's gentle, soft voice shook Yang from her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed, but the rest of the team was now staring at her with worried expressions.

"Huh? I- I…" Yang rubbed her balled fist over her cheeks, wiping away the wet trails the fell from her eyes and down her face.

"Yang… you can talk to us. We're a team, if something is bothering you…" Yang was taken aback by the compassion in Weiss' voice, she felt a pang of guilt rise up through her heart.

Yang looked around the room, Blake was now sitting up on her bed looking unsure of whether to stand or not, her worried expression only growing more concerned by the moment. Thistle was already standing and weiss had sat up, her blanket still covering her lower body. Yang felt the pressure of the eyes of her team falling on her, she could sense the expectation and desire to help.

 _But… what can they do?_ Yang shut her eyes tight, wishing, just for a moment, that everything was just a dream. Wishing that her sister was safe and sound at home, wishing that she didn't feel so… so helpless! She could feel her body trembling out of anger and panic.

 _What can I do?! My little sister is out there somewhere and… and I'm here! This was her dream, she's always wanted to be a huntress and here I am, the school she'd give anything to be in. It should be me! I'm the one the gets into trouble, I'm the one that messed up! Not Ruby, not her! She… she has to come home, she has to!_

"Yang…" She felt a warm, gentle hand fall on her shoulder. Yang's quivering body calmed at the touch. She opened her eyes, for the briefest of moments expecting to see large silver eyes staring up at her and a smile that could could melt ice shining reassuringly. The dream died in an instant as her gaze fell on her quiet teammate.

"Blake… I'm sorry. I'm sorry… I just- I just need to get some sleep." Yang tried to laugh it off, but her tight throat made her laugh nothing more than a pathetic whimper, still, she forced a smile.

"Don't be sorry, just tell us what's wrong Yang." Blake's voice was firm but… caring. Yang found herself staring into her amber eyes for a long moment. She could see empathy in them and then she realized… _This is my team now… I'm just making them worry._

"Alright…" Yang took a long, steadying breath and walked over to her small dresser, picking up her scroll from on top of it and returning to Blake's side, her other teammates joining them. Yang clicked the button and swiped through the menu until she found her photos. She didn't have to scroll long before pulling up the picture she was looking for.

"This is my little sister." Her voice was weak and shaky. She held out her scroll, on it was a picture of Yang with a smaller girl by her side. The small girl had expressive silver and black, red tipped hair. She wore a red cape and hood. They both looked so happy.

"She's cute." Weiss said the the slightest hint of caution and a sinking feeling in her chest.

"She's… been missing for three days now." Yang's body went weak, her arm holding up the scroll falling to her side. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes once again but she did her best to force them back.

"Yang, I'm so sorry." Blake returned her hand to Yang's shoulder, gently rubbing it with her thumb.

"Do- do they have any leads?" Weiss's voice was heavy with worry, but she tried her best to keep her feelings down for the benefit of the team.

"L- last she was seen… she was fighting a dangerous criminal named Roman Torchwick. N- no one has seen her or heard from her since… it was three days ago!" Yang shouted, her panic pouring out along with the tears she had struggle so hard to contain.

"W-what if she's- if she was okay she would have called, she wouldn't just… go! W-what if they got her, what if they're holding her somewhere?! She could be alone and hurting and I'm just here! I shouldn't be here! I should be out looking for her! What if they hurt her… or… or worse…"

"Yang, you can't think like that!" Thistle spoke up, her eyes burned with conviction and compassion. "We'll find her!"

"W-we?" Yang stammered.

"Yes, she's right. We can search for her tomorrow after classes! With the four of us looking, we'll have a lot better chance of finding her than if you were to try by yourself." Weiss looked to Thistle and Blake who both nodded in agreement.

"We could also put fliers up, judging by the picture you showed us, she's pretty distinctive. Someone must remember seeing her." Blake retracted her hand from Yang's shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. "We'll find her."

"We might have to go up against Torchwick and his goons… it could be dangerous, would you really do that for my sister?" Yang still couldn't believe how willing her teammates were to help her, to help her sister, someone they've never even met.

"After this, you couldn't stop me!" Thistle growled indignantly.

"We're your team Yang, we're also here Huntresses, what does that mean if we don't help when our teammate needs us?" Weiss crossed her arms, her voice strong and determined.

"Y-you guys… thank you!" Yang smiled warmly and genuinely, wiping away her tears once more.

"For now though, we need to get some sleep. We've got a long day tomorrow, we'll need to be at full strength and focus." Weiss looked to Yang, her hard, stoic gaze softening. "Especially you. I know it'll be hard, but do try to get some sleep, for your sister."

"R-right… yeah, I should. I haven't been sleeping much since… since she's been missing." Her eyes were forlorn and bleak, depression swept over her once again, but in her heart, she could feel a spark of hope. As she got into bed and the lights went out, Yang stared up at the ceiling, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

 _We're coming for you Ruby… all of us. Just hold on. I love you sis._

* * *

A young girl stirred, forced awake by an intense, throbbing pain shooting through her head, forcing her from her deep, dreamless sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, even the dim light that filled the room she found herself in stung her bleary eyes.

 _W-where am I?_ Her entire body felt sore and weak, but most of all her head was killing her. Every sound and vibration sent a splitting headache through her, even her own heartbeat and breathing seemed to hurt.

"What happened to me?" She whispered as softly as she could. He throat and mouth were painfully dry. She felt starved and incredibly thirsty. Still, she shakily rolled over and with all her remaining strength, forced herself up. Her legs could barely support her weight, to ease the burden on her weak body she rested her weight against the nearest wall and looked around.

She was in a small room with only a single fluorescent light. The walls were seemingly made of concrete, it felt cool and rough against her skin. Below her was a firm mat with a bloodstain on it. She slowly and painfully turned her head to find the most remarkable feature of the otherwise barren room… a door.

Slowly, she limped to the large steel door, supporting her weight against the wall, the rough texture hurt her skin, but she knew she wouldn't make it to the door otherwise.

"S-someone… please… help me. W-where am I?" She desperately tried calling out but her voice was barely audible. As she neared the door she stood up, her knees nearly giving out under her weight. Still, she gritted her teeth and fell hard against the door shoulder first. She yelped from the intense pain in her head from the impact.

"P-please… I- I'm awake… please… someone… answer me." She reached her small hand out and grabbed the door handle, her heart sinking as it resisted her desperate pulls… it was locked. Frantically, she jiggled it, hoping to get someone's attention on the other side.

 _S-someone has to be out there… they have to be!_ She jiggled it more and more frantically as panic set in. Minutes passed and her arm quickly became weaker and weaker, her frantic jiggling devolved into little more than her hand trembling on the handle before finally falling back to her side. The heat of fear and panic were frozen over by the cold empty feeling of despair.

Just as the last embers of hope were snuffed out, she heard something from the other side of the door… a distinctive, repetitive sound that grew closer and closer. _F-footsteps! Someone's out there!_ Hope reignited like a wildfire, her hand shot back up and she rattled the handle with all the strength she could muster.

"I- I'm in here! Please, I- I need help!" She shouted as loud as she could, her voice breaking in her weak, dry throat rendering most of her pleas all but silent. Suddenly, a dull mechanical click came from the doorknob at it unlocked. She stepped back quickly, but her legs finally gave out. She collapsed back onto the hard floor, sending waves of agonizing pain through her head.

The door slowly swung open and a tall, well dressed man with a cigar in his mouth loomed over her.

"Well good morning Red!" He grinned as he walked into the room, squatting down in front of her he took a deep drag off his cigar and blew the smoke down in the girl's face.

"W-who are you?" Her voice was frail and shaky with no small amount of fear and confusion.

"Who am I? Well, I think what's really important here, Red, is… who are you?" He took his cigar out of his mouth and ground the smoldering ember into the floor, flicking the remaining ashes off before holding it back up. The girl just stared at up at him, strangely, she felt more calm now that she wasn't alone.

"You fight like a huntress, you're just a kid though so… who taught you? I'm betting mommy and daddy are loaded and paid for a private teacher? Is that it kid? Your family have money? Clout? Just who are you, little Red?"

There was a long silence in the dark room as they stared he stared down at her, awaiting an answer. The girl couldn't meet his eyes, her head dipped as she gazed at the floor, only his shoes were in her line of sight… she felt comforted, knowing he was still there. Her body convulsed with gentle sobs and tears fell down her face, dripping onto the cold floor beneath her as she clutched her legs to her chest and buried her face in her knees.

Roman watched, taken aback as the girl shrank into herself and cried. This was not the same fearsome warrior that had defeated his men and had given him a run for his money. _Is… is she faking? Those tears look real enough. Come on kid, get angry, where's that spark you had when we fought? Seriously, knock it off, this is awkward!_

"I- I don't know…" The girl's voice was barely a choked and muffled whisper. Had he not been so close to her, Roman wouldn't have ever heard her.

"W-what did you say?" His eyes grew wide and his smirk was completely gone. The girl's head rose and her large silver eyes met his, they glistened with tears and pain. As she looked up at him, he could see the lost and broken look in her eyes.

"I don't- I don't remember… who I am. I don't remember anything!" The sadness in the girl's eyes flipped like a switched and now burned with intense pain and anger as she bared her teeth at him.

"Y-you're kidding me… right?" Roman was dumbfounded. _Amnesia? Is she serious? What kind of cliche story is she making up?! She doesn't really think I'd fall for that does she?_

He looked into her eyes, there was no mistaking that look; she was afraid. She was afraid and angry and lost. _If she's putting on an act it's one hell of a job. Then again… she did hit her head pretty hard, I really did a number on her. She's been out for three days. Wait, if she doesn't have her memories, she's useless to me, I should just get rid of her…_

"Y-you said I'm a good fighter so, you must know me from before… who are you to me?" Roman watched the rage and frustration in her eyes cool and her expression softened as she looked up at him.

"Who am I to… kid, are you serious?" Roman stood up, throwing his half finished cigar down on the floor, grinding it into powder with his foot. She could see the frustration building in his expression and mannerisms.

 _Damn it, what if that's exactly what she wants, maybe she thinks if she's useless to me I'll just let her go. There's just something… not right though, you can't fake that look and why now? After three days when she's helpless? GAHHH! Screw this!_

"I need to think." Roman growled as he turned away from the girl and started walking back to the door.

"W-wait! Don't leave yet!" She cried, her throat was burning now and she could swear she tasted blood in her mouth. Roman stopped at the threshold of the door, turning his head just enough to bring the small girl back into view.

"What is it Red? I'm not a baby sitter."

"I- I wasn't entirely honest… I do remember one thing… just one thing." Her tone was solemn and broken.

"What? Spit it out!" He barked. To his surprise, the girl didn't flinch or look more afraid when he yelled.

"M- my name. I remember my name."

"Okay? And what would that be?" He rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"Tell me yours first." She said simply. For a moment he could have sworn her voice sounded almost playful underneath the dejection.

"What?" He turned around to face her once again, his eyebrow raised as he looked down at her dubiously.

"I- I want to know your name… please." She repeated, more firmly this time, staring intensely into his eyes.

Roman stared back at her, his mouth slightly agape. A long span of silence stretched out between the two as he looked into her unwavering eyes. _Well Red, I didn't see this coming, I'll give you that. What's the harm though? I get to learn her name, help me find her family so I can ransom her and even if she does escape, the police will never find me._

"Alright Red…" He smiled, taking off his hat and putting it to his chest as he gave a bow. "Roman Torchwick, liar, thief and survivor, at your service."

He looked up with a devilish grin, expected to see her eyes wide with fear as she finally realized what position she was really in… but then-

 _She- she's smiling._ He almost dropped his hat at the warmth of her smile.

"I'm Ruby… Ruby Rose!"


	3. Forward

Ruby once again found herself sitting alone in a quiet room… just waiting. Another dingey fluorescent light flickered overhead. _At least I have a chair and table this time._

She couldn't help but giggle. Things had been weird since she first woke up, she was afraid, really afraid, not just because she didn't know who she was, but because she didn't know what was going to happen to her.

Now though, they had let her shower and she was thankful not to smell like ash, blood and sweat, they also fed her and gave her something to drink, and she felt much better, even her debilitating headaches lessened after she rehydrated. They even let her borrow some clothes, apparently from a girl named Neo.

Ruby looked down at herself with a smile. She was grateful for the change of clothes and it didn't look half bad on her, even if she thought the skirt was a bit too long and unwieldy to be practical. Her smile faded and she laid her head down on the cold metal table, her expression distraught as she really thought about her situation.

 _Roman told me to wait here while he figures out what to do with me… I wonder what that means? They went through a lot of trouble to get me cleaned up and fed, well enough to think straight, would they hurt me after all that? It's been a while, feels like over an hour. I was nervous at first… now I'm just starting to get impatient and it's making me think of a bunch of worst case scenarios…_

She sighed and carefully turned her head to where a her wound was and gently touched it to the table, the cool surface felt so nice her sore head that for a moment, it distracted her from the worst possibilities that her mind could conjure. She looked up at the door in front of her on the other side of the table. She hadn't heard much of anything from the other side.

 _What if they release me… where would I go? Who would I be? Even if someone found me… what would they be to me really? I'd be closer to Roman than anyone from my past… how could I even trust them?_

The unease, the tension in her heart, it didn't help her impatience one bit as she nervously tapped her foot against the ground. She lifted her head off the table, her body heat robbing it of its soothing cold.

 _What if they… what if they want to kill me? I mean, I'd understand if they saw me as a threat so it's not impossible. Then again, they've been nice to me, and it would have been easier to kill me when I first talked to Roman, now that I'm fed and hydrated I'm a little less helpless. Okay, so they probably won't kill me then… right?_

"Those are really the only things that could happen aren't they?" She whispered to herself, turning her head to the ceiling. "Either they kill or more likely they just… let me go and then… I'll be alone."

She leaned carefully back in her chair, balancing her and it on its back legs as she stared up at the flickering light. _I wonder… how much longer I'll have to w-_

Her thoughts were cut off as seemingly in answer to her impatience, she heard the door handle turn and the door slowly push open. Ruby smiled brightly and let the chair fall back on it's four legs, the impact on the ground painfully reverberating in her head.

"Torchwick I-" Ruby began excitedly as Roman stepped into the small room. However her excitement died on her lips as a woman in a red dress with black hair walked in behind him. She felt the woman's eyes piercing into her. Ruby lowered her head but kept her eyes on the woman.

 _W-who is she?_ Ruby looked over to Roman who gave way for the woman to walk in front, it seemed like she was really in charge. The woman's heels clicked against the floor, coming to a stop at the edge of the table. Ruby felt her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes darting nervously between Torchwick, the woman and the table as she sat there with an uncomfortable expression.

The woman bent down so they were nearly eye level, cautiously, Ruby looked up to meet her gaze. The two stared silently at each other for an agonizingly long moment, Ruby struggling to suppress her impulse to fidget in her seat.

"H-hi…" Ruby smiled awkwardly, trying her best to break the tension, but the woman's gaze didn't yield.

"You… have silver eyes." She said simply before standing straight again.

"Y-yeah… they're… pretty neat." Ruby felt her face heating up as she looked back down at the table.

"Fine, do with her what you will. If anything goes wrong, it's on your head." Without so much as another glance back at the girl staring up at them with a confused and concerned expression, the woman turned for the door and walked out, shutting it behind her.

The room filled with silence as both Roman and Ruby stared at the door. Ruby felt her tension easing now that she didn't have that woman looming over her. An involuntary sigh of relief escaped her lips, instantly drawing Roman's attention to her.

 _Oops._

"Maybe not the best time to be relieved Red." He turned around, pulling out the chair across from her. He wore a serious expression on his face that made Ruby unnerved.

"W-why? You said you'd decide what to do with me, that's why you're here right?"

"Well, that's the question isn't it?" His expression became inscrutable, not helped by his entwined hands covering his mouth.

"You're being vague… what does that mean?" Ruby shrunk back, lowering her head but keeping her eyes fixed on the man in front of her.

"Well, what it means is up to me… and you. There's the common sense options, you're useless to us, keeping you around is a liability." He started, his expression gradually becoming darker.

Ruby's eyes widened, her mouth opened but no words came out, fear bled through her eyes as she stared at Roman, his expression unchanging as he continued.

"You're useless to us as a hostage."

 _No…_ Ruby's mouth closed and her teeth clenched as she lowered her head, obscuring her face with her bangs. She felt a crushing darkness beginning to bubble up from deep within her, gripping at her heart and chilling her soul.

"You could very well be lying about your amnesia, we have no reason to believe you, now do we Red."

 _No… no! I- I can't… I have to… I have to say something before… before he-_

"Obviously, we should either kill you or dump you off somewhere." He paused, watching Ruby, gauging her reaction to every word. She looked as though each word he uttered hit her like a truck as she trembled silently, shrunk back in her chair.

"Then again…" His tone lightened and a sly grin spread across his face. "A criminal who doesn't think outside the box is one who will very quickly find himself living in one."

Ruby hesitantly looked up at him, her eyes glistening with cautious optimism. _W-what is he saying?_

"Red… maybe you could be useful to us in another way."

"Don't make me leave!" Ruby shouted as she bolted up from her chair, her hands slamming against the metal table as she glared at Roman with all the conviction she could summon, pleading to him silently through her eyes. "Let me stay… please. I can be useful, I'm a good fighter, you said so yourself!"

Roman jerked back in his chair, his eyes wide as he stared at her in stunned silence. Time itself seemed to grind to a halt as he stared up into her silver eyes that burned with certainty. Finally, he broken free from her gaze and regained his inscrutable composure. With a heavy sigh, he pulled out a cigar and his lighter. After a few failed flicks the lighter finally spewed forth a small flame and the cigar began to smolder.

"Alright Red, I'll admit I was leading up to that, I just didn't expect you to beat me to the punch." He took a long deep breath before exhaling, the fragrant smoke quickly filled the small room. Ruby found herself strangely fond of the smell.

"Y-yeah… I'm sorry I just… I don't want to go." Ruby's voice and expression softened as she slowly sat back down.

"So… you want to stay?" He shoved the lighter back in his pocket and leaned back in his chair. "You do realize we're criminals right?"

"Yes, I know…" Ruby's voice was soft and quiet, gaze fell to the side.

"If you stay, you'll have to work for us. That means you'll be one of us. We'll ask you to lie, cheat, steal and, if necessary, kill for us."

Ruby eyes snapped forward and her mouth open, her expression complex but the pain and turmoil were obvious. She felt a tugging in her chest, her heart recoiling from the idea. However, she felt another, powerful force in her heart, driving her towards certainty. She took a long, slow breath and closed her eyes.

 _I don't want to hurt anyone, but if I stay, that's what I'll have to do. What's the alternative? I- I can't go back, who ever I was before, I can't go back. I just… I need to be here, I need to go forward. Those people, I don't even know who they are… but I know the person in front of my now. I feel like, I'm at the beginning of something and you just can't turn back on the first page._

Her eyes fluttered open, the strength of conviction had reignited within her as she looked at Roman, she knew the answer.

"I understand, I'll do what you need me to do. I want to stay. I feel it in my heart, this is where I'll find who I am. There's only nothingness behind me, whoever I was before I woke up in that dark room… I don't think I'm her anymore."

She felt a weight lift from her soul, as if she shed something that was weighing her down. In the silence that filled the room, she closed her eyes one more time.

 _I can do this… because I won't go back into the nothingness. My old life is gone, if it finds me… it'll find me moving forward, and this is the direction I'm choosing!_

"Alright Red, in that case, we'll give you a trail run. You won't be out of our sight until you've convinced us where your loyalties fall. In fact, you won't even be allowed to leave this building until then. Got it?!" Roman's voice was stern now, but Ruby couldn't help but smile softly, reflecting the grin he wore.

"I understand… thank you Roman… I won't let you down." She folder her hands in her lap and smiled down, breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

"Oh you better not, or I'll bury you myself." He stood up, putting his cigar out on the table. "We're going to knock off another dust shop soon. Until then, you're staying here and you'll have someone watching you at all times."

"Yes sir, I understand!" She smiled, unshaken by the ominous threat he made. "And Roman…"

"Yeah, what is it?" He asked, his back facing her and his hand on the doorknob.

"Thank you."


	4. A Place to Belong

Ruby followed a large man in a suit up a flight of concrete stairs. She'd seen a lot of guys around the building in the same uniform, she figured they must work report to Roman Torchwick. As they ascended, she couldn't help but but wonder what kind of building she was in, it seemed like a roughly renovated warehouse or something, maybe it had been abandoned and now Roman and his men were using it?

"Right this way kid." The man said as he climbed the final step and walked down a hallway with several doors. Piping and some exposed wires hung from the ceiling.

"Um… I have a question…" Ruby said nervously as she came up beside him. He looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, his glasses obscuring his eyes.

"I mean, I was just wondering… what's your name?" Ruby gave a warm but awkward smile. He looked taken aback, but she couldn't be sure if it was because of her question or her smile, both tended to have the same effect around here.

He stared at her for a long moment, seeming to be internally debating whether or not he should tell her, but in the end he gave a reluctant sigh.

"Rexxie… my name is Rexxie." He said as deadpan as he could, but it didn't help as Ruby could barely suppress a snort a laughter.

"That's adorable!" She cooed between muffled giggles.

The man looked indignantly at her, shaking his head before grumbling. He continued walking ahead without another word, though he could still hear the girls frail attempts at suppressing her laughter.

"Hey wait! I'm sorry, Rexxie is a… a very manly name!" She giggled as she ran to catch up with him. "Come on, it's not that bad! I like it, honestly!"

"Here's your new room. Enjoy." He growled under his breath as he unlocked the door and stormed away, muttering under his breath.

"Thank you Rexxie!" Ruby shouted in a teasing, singsong voice.

With one last giggle to herself she regained her composure before turning the old doorknob and pushing the creaky old door open, stepping inside her new room and closing the door behind her.

She looked around. It was small, about the same size as the room she first awoke in, same walls too, but the room was brighter, furnished with a small cot and little plastic dresser and a small wooden desk. Her eyes were instantly drawn to a mass of red and black that lay on her bed… it was her clothes, the outfit she first awoke in. It was all there, and freshly cleaned, though tattered from some apparent battle.

Ruby walked to her cot and stared down at her clothes with a solemn visage. She gently ran two fingers over the fabric of her hood. It was soft and warm, but… there was a blood stain, her blood, on the hood. She felt unease her eyes locked onto the barely faded stain, it matched right where her still healing head injury was. With her free hand she gingerly brushed her fingers against the still healing wound, her hair covered it, but she'd seen it in the mirror when she showered… it didn't look pretty.

 _I ended up like this because I fought Roman didn't I? I wonder what he'd say if I asked him? Would he think my memory has returned?_

"Maybe I'll ask another time." She smiled, grabbing her clothes and rolling them into a ball. With great effort, she managed to force them all into one of the tiny plastic drawers.

"Okay… maybe that's enough for today." She mumbled to herself as she carefully fell back against onto her bed, the impact still jostling her head too much for comfort. She winced from the pain which made it hard for her to focus on getting her shoes off, so she settled for haphazardly kicking them off her feet.

Ruby hummed contentedly as she wrapped herself up in the warm blankets and stretched out on her bed, her entire body seemed to sigh in relief as she nestled into the soft surface, warmly bundled up, her eyelids quickly grew heavier and heavy.

Her body relaxed as she let sleep begin to overtake her. As the last vestiges of consciousness succumb to the grip of sleep, a funny thought entered the forefront of her mind and it made her smile as she happily drifted off.

 _I feel… at home._

* * *

"What's 'a matter Jaune? Lock yourself out of your room?" Yang asked as she stared at the misfit leader of team JNPR just standing outside his dorm room.

"N-no! I just… I just have a lot on my mind. You wouldn't understand." His voice was absolutely dejected as he rested his forehead against the door.

For just a moment, Yang felt a spark of anger. She wanted to leave him in his self pity, she barely knew him anyway and he did not seem in the mood to talk… but something else called to her from the back of her mind, and she thought of a small, awkward girl with a brilliant smile. Taking a deep breath, she tried to channel her inner Ruby.

"Well, maybe I do. Hit me, what's the worst that could happen?" Yang smiled, pulling the boy by his shoulder and swinging him around to face her.

"Look it's just… you know that guy, Cardin, he's in some of our classes?" Jaune could barely keep eye contact with Yang.

 _Am I that intimidating or is he just a wimp? Okay, that's not exactly channeling my inner Ruby._

"Yeah, that jerk who's always picking on the faunus?"

"Yep, that's the guy… well, he found out something and now, he's blackmailing me and, and maybe coming here was a mistake okay!? I'm not cut out for this, if I was, Cardin wouldn't have anything to hold over my head. I shouldn't be the leader… I shouldn't even be here." His voice sounded absolutely broken as he stared down at the floor.

"Well… maybe um… you know… Gah! I'm no good at this! I'm sorry, it's just… my sister, she'd know what to say, she's has this way of bringing positivity into any situation and just… making things better." Yang felt her rage burning up in her chest, she had to suppress so her semblance didn't activate and scare the meek boy before her even more.

"I heard about that… still no leads? Nothing?" Jaune, for a moment, looked like his normal, albeit worried and empathetic self. However, his depression seemed to just jump into Yang as her fiery rage was quashed by a cold feeling in her heart.

"No… not yet. We're still searching, my teammates, they're helping too. It's been so long and they haven't even found a hint as to where she might be." Yang wanted to cry and punch something at the same time, but she couldn't do either. The emotions just festers, gnawing at her more and more with no outlet.

"If you need any help finding her, I wouldn't mind helping, and I doubt Pyrrha or Ren or Nora would mind either so… um, just say the word, we'll do what we can. I have seven sisters myself, I know how much they mean to me, if any of them were in the position your sister was in, I'd do anything to save them." The dull, forlorn depression in his eyes was gone, completely taken over by determination and strength. Yang had never seen this side of him before.

"Thank you Jaune…" Yang smiled a soft but genuine smile, the rage and pain in her heart melted away.

"I'd be happy to help." He smiled back.

"Jaune…" She paused, her smile growing and her demeanor returning to normal. "I think you're wrong, about yourself. I think you could be good leader for your team. Tough it out, it'll come to ya."

"You really think so?" He looked at her dubiously, thinking she was just saying that to be nice.

"I really think so. I bet your team thinks so too. Try not to let them down." With a final grin she spun around and turned the doorknob to her room.

"Thank you, Yang. You have a good night."

"You too, Jaune." She felt a warmth in her chest as she closed the door behind her. _I think... I did you proud sis._


	5. Warmth

A small girl lay on her bed, covered in blankets and rolled into a tight little ball, only tufts of red and black hair poked out from underneath the covers. With a soft, protesting grumble Ruby Rose shifted on her cramped cot.

Her eyes opened, bleary and in total darkness, she couldn't see a thing, and with no clock or window, she felt disorientated from the time. _Is it daytime or nighttime? I haven't even been outside yet, or seen the sky. I'm actually really excited for my chance to prove myself to Roman, it'll probably mean I'll get to go outside._

Slowly, she rolled onto her back and stretched out. Her entire body felt weak and sluggish, she imagined she must have been asleep for a while to feel this out of it. Still, she forced herself to sit up, the covers rolling off of her but still keeping her lower body nice and toasty. As the cool air swirled around her, she wished she could snuggle back up under the blankets.

 _No, I should probably get up, I feel like I've slept for too long._ A soft whine echoed through the small room as Ruby forced her body to move. Everything felt stiff and her head felt fuzzy, but to her relief the sharp, debilitating pain had diminished.

Despite her wobbly legs, she stood from the bed, the warmth of sleep completely gone as she meandered to where she remember the light-switch being. With outstretched hands she felt the wall in front of her, patting around until she felt something vaguely switch shaped and flicked it up with her thumb.

The room was instantly bathed in white light, her darkness adjusted eyes recoiling from the brightness. Ruby's eyes were forced into a squint as she looked down at the floor to further protect her eyes. _Okay, there really needs to be a setting between pitch black and blindingly bright!_

"Hey! Time to get ready!" Hey deep voice called sternly as he banged on the door.

"Ah!" Ruby yelped. The sudden banging and shouting from behind the door her made Ruby jump and spin around startled. She opened the door just a crack, just enough for her head to poke out, one for her face to be met with the torso of a large man. Her eyes wandered up to his face.

"Oh, Rexxie, it's just you. You scared me." She laughed bashfully, despite the clearly annoyed look he was giving her.

"Get ready." He said coldly as he pulled a folded piece of paper from his vest pocket and handed it to Ruby. "I'll be waiting out here."

Without waiting he started to push to door closed, Ruby barely pulled her head back in time to save herself from possibly more brain damage. She stumbled back, glaring at the door before sticking her tongue out mockingly. With an angry huff, she turned her back to the door and unfolded the wrinkled paper.

 _"_ _Okay Red, I've got some errands to run so I can't play babysitter with you today. Still, like I said you work for us now which means you won't be sleeping all day anymore. First thing's first however, we need to know if you can still fight. If you can't, well then you really would be useless to us! I have a feeling that you'll be fine, don't let me down Red."_

Ruby's face darkened as she read the note, her arms weakly falling to her side as she looked down at the small dresser beside her bed. She could see red and black fabric hanging out from the closed drawer.

 _I have to prove that I can still fight… I'm not even sure if I can, I don't remember anything, what if I don't remember what to do anymore? I can't let Roman down…_

"Okay, so I won't let him down." Her visage lit up with determination as she pulled out her tattered clothes.

 _After this, I won't have to be afraid anymore. I'll prove that I belong here!_

* * *

Ruby and Rexxie walked down the stairs in silence as they made their way to some destination she wasn't aware of. Still, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of nervousness and excitement.

"So… um… how exactly am I going to prove I can fight?" Ruby asked as they made it to the first floor and began walking through a large open area with numerous crates lining the walls. Men in uniforms walked back and forth around the perimeter of the large room while some pouring over papers.

"You and me, we're gonna fight, and if you do good I'll pass that along to Mr. Torchwick." He didn't turn back to look at her as he rounded a corner down a hallway with Ruby close behind.

"Wait, I'm going to fight you, Rexxie?" She asked, a bit taken aback.

"Yes, got a problem with that?" His voice was sharp with annoyance.

"Not really…" She said halfheartedly as she looked over the man easily twice her size. Then, a mischievous smile lit up her face. "Hey, how about, if you win, I'll stop calling you Rexxie!"

He came to a dead stop in front of large metal door, one that reminded her of the one she saw when she first woke up. An uneasy feeling bubbled up within her as she remember that dark place.

"Alright kid, I'm down for a wager. What do you get if you win?" He turned to face her with a cocksure grin.

"What do I want?" She wondered out loud, her expression softening with pondering as her eyes drifted up. _What do I want? Hmmm… oh! Yeah, that!_

"I want…" She looked up at him, a small but gentle smile on her lips, her cheeks tinted red as she shyly looked between him and the floor. "I- I want you to just… talk to me sometimes. You know, because I don't really have any friends here and it's lonely when Roman is gone so… yeah, that's what I want if I win!"

The entire world seemed to screech to a stop. Ruby stared down at the ground bashfully awkward silence that hung between them making her more and more anxious. _I said something stupid didn't I?! What was I thinking, why would he want to be friends with-_

Her thoughts were cut off as she saw his hand move up from his side. She looked up as he grabbed the side of his sunglasses with his fingers and slowly lifted them. Ruby was in stunned silence as he slowly revealed his sparkling, deep blue eyes. The expressive blue orbs contrasted against his messy black hair and short but well maintained beard.

Ruby stared nervously into his eyes, his expression was a strange mix of shock and what looked like happiness. She wanted to say something but somehow, didn't want to be the first the break the quiet. Then… he smiled, for a moment, it was a warm smile that reflected the one Ruby wore only seconds ago, but then turned into a wide grin.

"Okay kid, okay, I get it!" Laughed patronizingly at her. "I'll take those term, of course, you'd have to win first. I ain't gonna go easy on you just because you're a little girl!"

"Well I won't go easy on you just because you're cannon fodder." Ruby smirked as she leaned in towards him. "Let's go… Rexxie."

"Pshh, ladies first!" He laughed, turning the door handle he pushed the heavy metal door open, gesturing for her to go first.

"Fine!" She huffed jokingly as she walked into a large room, the walls were concrete like everywhere else but the floor was covered in gravel. She heard the door slam behind her as she turned to see her adversary cracking his knuckles.

"You ready?" Rexxie took his place on the opposite side of the room, they stared each other down, both wearing cocksure grins.

"Let's do this!"


	6. Expectations

"You give up yet?" Ruby smirked.

"I- I…" Rexxie could barely speak, his back was flat against the ground, his throat being crushed between Ruby's legs and his arm locked painfully against her chest. He frantically struggled against her but the more he tried to wriggle free, the harder she squeezed.

"Oh, sorry, I should probably let you breath so you can admit I won!" She gave an embarrassed smile as she relaxed her legs slightly.

"I give! I give!" He begged tapping his hand against the ground.

"Hmmmm… say uncle!" She pulled his arm just a little harder, making him wince in pain, but not hard enough to do any real damage.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Rexxie cried, taping even more rapidly against the ground, the gravel digging into his hand as he did so. Finally, the pressure around his throat eased and the painful tension in his arm was released as Ruby disentangled herself from him.

"I guess I do still remember how to fight!" She grinned, looking very pleased with herself. She extended her hand out to her defeated opponent, her expression becoming warm and gentle as he took her hand and pulled himself up.

"Yeah, you damn near dislocated my shoulder and crushed my neck! You crazy bitch!" He grumbled jokingly, his shaky laughter and tired smile putting to ease the momentary guilt Ruby felt welling up in her chest.

"Hey, I wouldn't have done any permanent damage!" She shrugged, half-heartedly putting her hands up in resignation.

"I'm gonna be sore for a week! I need an ice pack." He rubbed his neck and carefully rotated his aching shoulder.

"Well why don't we go to the kitchen? I could use a drink and breakfast anyway." Ruby nudged him with her elbow, her voice as bubbly as ever and not even slightly out of breath.

"Yeah, sounds good." He sighed, thankful to be done fighting her and eager to get some ice on his shoulder.

Ruby walked ahead of him and held the door as he trudged passed, still rubbing his aching neck. She followed him through the halls and the large room with all the crates which was now ever more crowded. She couldn't help but notice the looks she got as she walked by. Ruby nervously lowered her head and followed Rexxie even more closely.

 _I know I belong here, but I feel like such an outsider when everyone is looking at me like that…_

She followed him into the kitchen where thankfully they were the only ones there. She breathed an unease sigh of relief, but couldn't help the tightness in her chest, as though she could still feel their eyes on her.

"What do you want to drink kid?" Rexxie swung open the freezer door and pulled out an ice pack, pressing it down on his shoulder, his body relaxed as the cold numbed the pain. He hunched down slightly as he opened the refrigerator door looking around as he waiting for an answer… an answer that didn't come.

"Kid?" He stood up straight and turned around, his heart sinking at the depressing visage of the girl in front of him. Her gaze rested on the floor, her expression cold and sad but her jaw was clenched and her fists balled, like anger and sadness were battling it out in her small body.

"Ruby… what's wrong?" His voice softened as he frowned. Despite the pain all over his body, he squatted down to be at eye level with her.

"T-the way they looked at me, the way everyone's looking at me besides you and Roman… whenever I walk around I get stared at, looking at me like I shouldn't be here!" Her hands relaxed, limply falling to her sides as she looked up at him, eyes filled with sadness and frustration, begging him for some sort of answer he didn't have.

"It just- it makes me uncomfortable and, I don't know how to prove to everyone that I belong here. Maybe… after I prove to Roman that I'm useful?" Her eyes now glittered with a tiny spark of hope as she looked to Rexxie.

"Look kid," he sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "There's no question you're strong. This is a big operation, we're all here for something, for most of us it's for the money or because we have nowhere else to go. Have you ever heard the saying about no honor among thieves?"

Ruby nodded, but she could feel her heart sinking. _So what he's saying is that… they'll only care about what I can do for them?_ Then, in a flash of conviction that burned away the despair, she felt a moment of clarity. _Okay, so what?! I've already decided I will be useful to Roman. That's all I need to do, just keep going forward!_

"Well, that saying isn't entirely true." Rexxie smiled, withdrawing his hand from her shoulder and standing up straight. Ruby snapper her attention to him, his answer defying her expectations.

"I mean, I'd consider myself friends with a few of the guys here, and I don't think they'd betray me over some Lien." He shrugged, not sounding wholly convinced himself. "Then there's that Neo chick, she seems loyal to Torchwick to a fault. So, yeah, we can have loyalty to more than just money and self interest."

"I- I see!" All traces of Ruby's sadness dissolved as she smiled up at him hopefully.

"Of course, it doesn't hurt if you kick a lot of ass and make a lot of Lien for us." He laughed, playfully smacking her in her shoulder, nearly knocking her down. Ruby quickly recovered, adjusting her hood before grinning back at him.

"Oh, I'm not worried about that part!" She puffed out her chest and put her fists on her hips proudly.

"Yeah, that's the attitude we like to see! Just be confident, others will see it. Now, about that drink?" He leaned up against the counter beside the fridge and, with his hands behind his head, he pulled the door open from the bottom with his foot, letting out a rush of cool air.

"I'll have…" She thought for a moment, putting her finger on her chin before giving a wide, toothy grin. "Milk!"

* * *

A warm, gentle breeze swept through Yang's long, blonde hair as she walked down the quiet street. She tightly clutched a stack of papers in her arms to protect them from getting caught in the wind.

She was exhausted. Classes seemed to have run a lot longer than usual, but she knew they were about as long as usual and none of it was helped by her growing insomnia over the past week. Even her makeup couldn't completely conceal the bags under her eyes.

Still, every day she found herself here, walking around the city with a new batch of fliers, praying that this would be it, this would be the day she was waiting for, when she would finally be reunited with her little sister. She couldn't help herself, she kept imagining seeing that little red cloak coming around the next corner and jumping at her and throwing her arms around her big sister, and Yang would squeeze her back and cry knowing her sister was home safe…

 _But… it's not going to happen… is it? It's been… it's been too long, the police haven't even found a trace of her since she- since she disappeared… I hear… that the police might just give up looking for her._

She flung open her eyes as she felt her hand digging into something. She looked down with panic as she saw that she had began crushed the fliers with her sister's picture.

 _No no no!_ She frantically ran her palm over the papers trying desperately to smooth them out. _Why is this happening?! Why her? Why aren't the police doing more!? She's out there, she's alive, I just know she is! I- I have to find her before… before-_

"Oomf" Yang grunted as she slammed into something. She blinked tears out of her eyes to bring the blur of color in front of her into focus. It was a short girl with a light pink umbrella and brown and pink hair with streaks of white.

"O-oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!" Yang quickly rubbed her eyes with her fists to clear away the tears pooling in them. The short woman glared up at her in annoyance, not saying a word, her umbrella slung over her shoulder.

"Um… have you seen this girl?" Yang pulled up a slightly wrinkled flier and held it in front of the woman's face. "Please, she's my little sister and she's gone missing! The police don't know where she is… I have to find her, she could be in serious danger so please, have you seen anyone like this; black and red hair, short, silver eyes, red hood?!"

Yang found herself falling apart in front of the total stranger as she described her sister, the tears she tried to suppress came back, clouding her vision.

"Please…have you seen her?" Yang repeated, as she saw the woman staring thoughtfully at the picture. She felt hope rising in her heart, but she knew better and quashed it immediately. _No Yang, she probably has no idea where Ruby is… no one's seen or heard anything from her since she's been missing… there's almost no way that someone just saw her walking down the street…_

Finally, the woman looked up at her, for a moment, Yang could have swore that her expression was hostile, but only for a moment. The woman's eyes were each a different color, but they both expressed empathy and sorrow as she silently shook her head.

Yang's shoulders slumped back and depression swept over her. _I knew it… because of course, if Ruby did manage to get free, the first thing she'd do is call me._

"Will you take this?" She held the flier down, looking pleadingly into the woman's eyes. "If you see her, it has my personal number on it… please, if you see her or hear anything about her, call me, I don't care when, even in the middle of the night!"

The woman looked up at her for a long moment with a complex expression before smiling warmly and taking the flier with an enthusiastic nod. Yang's face brightened with gratitude and relief.

"Thank you! You could also make copies or show everyone you know. She's my baby sister… I need to bring her home." With one last grateful look, Yang walked off, looking for anyone else to enlist to help find her sister.

The woman watched the the tall blonde walked away, her expression darkening with anger and displeasure as she took one last look at the flier and the picture of a smiling girl in a red hood. Then, she took it in both hands and without hesitation, crumpled it into a tight ball before throwing it in the nearest trash bin, huffing with finality as she walked away.

Suddenly, the beep of a car took her attention. On the opposite side of the road was a large black van with heavily tinted windows. She crossed the otherwise desolate street, walking right up the the van. Within moments the window rolled down just a crack and she could see a man with orange hair and a bowler hat, smoke streamed out the window as fresh air flowed in.

"Neo, we have the target, it's a dust shop just down the street. Do your thing, case the joint and we'll do the rest, and of course, it'll be little Red's debut, we'll get to see if she disappoints." He gave a small laugh before blowing out a cloud of smoke. Neo looked up at him with a smug grin.

Roman Torchwick looked down at his smoldering ember on the end of his cigar, a small but genuine smile on his lips. _We're expecting a lot from you Red, don't disappoint us._


	7. To A New Life: Part 1

"Bleh! I don't think I could be more bored." Ruby whined as she stared up at the ceiling from her bed. A book dangled precariously in her hand off the edge of the cot. She grumbled to herself as she tried to figure out a way to entertain herself, having read over book in her hand three times in a row already.

 _I wish Rexxie wasn't busy, seems like something's got everyone more busy than usual and I've barely seen Roman. I wonder what's going on? Is this them preparing for a job? What will I be doing? Roman told me he wanted me to prove myself, but if he's not going to give me a chance then how-_

Her thoughts were cut off by a sudden and loud banging against her door. She bolted up from her bed, letting the book fall to the floor as she got up. The banging from the other side of the door continued, it didn't sound like someone knocking, it sounded like they were hitting the door with something.

"H- hold on! I'm coming! Just a sec!" She jumped out of bed, nearly falling flat on her face as the blanket ensnared her foot. As the banging kept going she desperate shook her leg to extricate herself from it, nearly falling again in the process.

Now freed, she ran to the door, trying to look a lot less embarrassed than she actually was, the humiliation of nearly being bested by a blanket was immense! She took a steadying breath, before opening the door.

"Hello Red." Roman Torchwick stood at the door, his cane in hand, staring down at her with a serious look on his face that made Ruby nervous.

"You're back!" She smiled, feeling hope rising within her. "Everyone's pretty busy so I've been kinda stuck in here since I wasn't given anything to do and I-"

"Red…" Roman silenced her nervous babbling. His eyebrows were raised in annoyance. Ruby blushed slightly and tilted her head down.

"Y-yes?" She stammered, forcing her gaze up to meet his.

"Shut up and follow me." His voice was cold and flat with a tinge of aggravation. Ruby's smile faded completely as she stood silently for a long moment, a sense of worry building in her chest. Still, she gave him a tiny nod and followed him out of her room, shutting the door behind her.

Ruby walked closely behind Roman who kept a pretty slow pace as they descended the stairs. She couldn't help but allow her mind to wander and that only made her fear worse. As they stepped out into the big warehouse room, she saw many unfamiliar faces… or rather, unfamiliar masks. She wondered silently what was going on, there was a lot of manpower in that room.

She felt more nervous than usual as their eyes fell on her. She quickened her pace, drawing closer to Roman, keeping pace with him at his side so she'd be hidden from view. She couldn't be sure if he noticed or not, but he didn't her to move or changed his pace. They came to as stop at the threshold of a long hallway with no doors on either side, only another staircase at the end of it.

"Almost there Red." Again, without another word or even a glance at her, he continued on. Ruby followed behind him, her fear gone and now replaced simply with confusion, she had no idea what was going on or why Roman was so serious. Still, she continued to follow him.

They walked up the stairs only to be spat out into another long hallway going to the opposite direction, with another set of stairs leading up. However, she noticed a single door on one side of the hallway. She looked at it curiously before being jerked to attention as Roman spoke.

"That's my room, and there's a reason I chose that one all the way up here and out of the way, and it's right up those steps. Come on."

Ruby watched him go down the hall, bypassing the door he said led to his room. A warm smile formed from her lips, his tone wasn't as cold anymore, there was a spark of warmth to it and it made her feel more at ease. After lingering a moment longer at the threshold, she followed Roman up the stairs ending in a flat metal door on just above the final step.

He stood with his back against the wall, arm outstretched to the doorknob beside him as he smiled expectantly at Ruby. She stood just two steps below him with a perplexed look on her face, but knowing that'd she'd find out soon enough judging by how eager he looked to show her.

"Well little Red, here you go." His grin widened as he turned to knob and pushed the door open, a blinding stream of light shined in, the sudden brightness nearly making her fall back down the steps but then… she felt something, a rush of fresh air. After giving her eyes a moment to adjust, blinking them rapidly to ease the strain, she pressed forward, her hand resting against her forehead to further protect her sensitive eyes.

"Wow…" It was the only word she could think of as she stepped out the door. A warm, gentle wind swirled around her, caressing her hair and cooling her skin as sunlight bathed her skin from above. She took in a long, deep breath, imbibing her first time truly experiencing what it meant to be outside. She giggled slightly as the thought to herself. 'That might be the biggest upside to having no memory, I get the experience all the best things as though it were are my first time experiencing them!'

"This is the roof of our temporary headquarters, aside from me, only Neo knows this place has roof access… well, until now." Roman walked beside her, his hands in his pockets with his cane balancing between his arm and hip.

"It's beautiful up here!" Ruby was still awestruck as she took in more and more with her senses; the smell of the air, the subtle difference in each breeze, the white, fluffy clouds above her. As her eyes grew more accustomed to the light, she could make out the tallest buildings in the city in the distance.

"It's not very high up either… you could easily survive a jump from here."

"What!?" Ruby spun around, looking at him with shock and confusion.

"All I'm saying is, if you want to bail out, this is the time and place." He walked up the the edge of the roof, there was no barrier, just a straight drop. "I don't know if I buy your amnesia bit, but it doesn't really matter. You've been here for a while but you haven't seen much, you don't have any harmful information. If you want to bail, with no repercussions, now's the time."

Ruby's face was pale, her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. She stared at him, but he never turned away from the edge of the roof. she could feel her heart pounding in her chest and tears welling up in her eyes.

"How could you say that!" She shouted, her voice so filled with anger and pain that it surprised even her, but Roman didn't flinch.

"Because Red, this is it, we've got a job for you and you're going to have to break the law and if it comes to it, hurt people." He finally turned to face her, his face complex, but she could see a deep kind of anger in his eyes as he walked up to her, standing only feet away.

"Ruby, if you're working with the police, you're better off doing it now. Go, tell them what little you know, make something up, embellish, it doesn't matter. But if you bail in the middle of a job, if you give us up like that, it won't be a happy ending for you… I'll see to that."

His voice was dark and malicious but… also sad and hurt. Ruby blinked at him, her gaze locked into his deep green eyes, trying to decipher the intricate feelings they portrayed.

 _He's hurting… but is he hurting for himself or maybe… is he hurting for…_ Her expression was overcome with conviction as she took in a deep breath of the warm, fresh air.

"I'd come back… even if you made me leave, I don't want to be anywhere else, I don't want to be anyone else. I want to be here, I don't care what I have to do. Whatever life I had before, it's not me anymore, it's not. You don't have to believe me, I'll just prove it! Just tell me what I need to do!"

Roman's hard and cold countenance fell apart as he looked down at the girl who's silver eyes blazed with strength and certainty. His mouth hung open and his cane lost its balance, it's end hitting the ground. Ruby didn't yield, she burned her conviction into him with her gaze, she would make him understand!

"I won't fail, whatever you ask me to do I'll do it right and you'll have no choice but to believe me! So just tell me what you need me to do, tell me how I can prove myself! I want you to know... I can do this." Ruby was huffing as she shouted with anger and passion, never once breaking eye contact with Torchwick.

The shock ebbed from his face, replaced by a more neutral, inscrutable expression as he reached into his pocket for his cigar and lighter. He flicked his lighter and dipped the end of his cigar into the fire before snuffing it out. He took a long deep breath, turning his head out towards the city, looking wistfully out into the distance.

"Alright Red, I told you I'd give you a chance to prove you're with us, so here it is." He turned back towards her, his expression returned to his normal, suave and detached appearance. "We're robbing a Dust shop, it's going to be a big haul. Unfortunately, the police are on high alert and they're watching the place… but there's another one just down the street and the cops are there too."

"Okay, so where do I fit in?" Ruby asked, trying to think of how should could help with any of this.

"I'm getting to that." He said with a hint of mock irritation. "So, we can't go in while the place is being watched, way too much heat, but, if the alarm were to go off at a neighboring Dust shop, the police would swarm the place, thinking we fell for their trap. While they leave the other shop unguarded, see?"

"So, you want me to set off the alarm?" She already understood but Roman's nod confirmed it.

"You got it. You see, you stand the best chance of not getting caught, and even if you do, you could just tell the cops that you escaped from us and were just trying to get help." He gave a smug, self satisfied grin. Ruby couldn't help but smile a little, realizing he felt pretty proud of his plan and just wanted to brag to her.

"I won't get caught." She smiled confidently.

"That's what I like to hear!" He gave a toothy grin, bringing his cane up over his shoulder while taking another deep breath of smoke. "Well Red, it'll be showtime soon, we should get back." He strolled past her, putting his hand briefly on her shoulder as he walked by before reaching for the door.

"Actually… I think I'll stay up here just a little bit longer… if that's okay." She turned her head up to the sun, closing her eyes she soaked up the warmth of the light.

"Yeah, I'll come get you if you're not down soon. Later Red." The door creaked open and he stepped into the darkness of the building, the light of the sun making his orange hair appear ablaze.

"Torchwick wait!" Ruby blurted out. For a short lived moment, she had hoped that he hadn't heard her… but he stared at her, holding the door open as he waited with a curious but impatient look on his face.

"I- I um… I-" She gulped, wishing she could take it back. _No, I'm this far now… I have to know!_ she shut her eyes for a moment, steeling herself before opening them and meeting his eyes with her own, unwavering.

"Torchwick… you're the reason I lost my memory… aren't you? I- I saw the bloodstain on the clothes I woke up in and I was your prisoner right? So I just figured… I mean-"

"Yes… I did it." He sighed, bringing his cane back to the floor. Ruby listened intently as Torchwick seemed to mull over what exactly to say.

"We fought when we first met, I knocked you out and kidnapped you. You were out cold for three days. I fully intended to ransom you, but apparently you lost your memories. I honestly thought about just killing you at that point." He couldn't seem to meet her eyes, instead he focused on his cigar between his fingers, watching the embers slowly consume it.

"I see…" Ruby looked down at the ground, not entire sure what she was feeling, but it wasn't a nice feeling, whatever it was.

"If it's any consolation Red, I think you're much more interesting now." He tapped his cigar with his thumb, letting loose a small cloud of ashes that danced as they became swept up in the breeze.

"Thank you… for being honest with me." Her tone was soft and cool though she smiled warmly at him, her big silver eyes sparkled with sadness and gratefulness at once.

"Yeah…" Was all Roman could say as he turned away from her, facing down the dark stairwell before stopping the closing door with his cane. "We leave in thirty minutes… get yourself ready, there's no going back after this."

Without another word, he let the door close behind him, leaving the young girl alone on the roof, staring at the door with a serious expression. She turned once more back to the city, and closed her eyes.

 _Okay Ruby… this is it. I'm moving on to my new life, the life where I belong_.


	8. To A New Life: Part 2

"So, do you understand what you need to do?" Roman adjusted his mirror as he drove, bringing the girl in the back seat just into view.

"Yes, I understand." Ruby turned her head out the window, taking in the sights of the city as they zoomed by.

"Good, because you're the crux of this operation, it all hinges on you Red, so try not to screw it up." He looked down from the mirror back to the road, watching his driving, making sure not to attract any unwanted attention.

"I'll be fine." She smiled, her voice relaxed but sharp. "My job is easy, I'm more worried about you guys."

"That's sweet kid, but I've been at this a long time, a lot longer than you, so have all the guys I brought with me, so just worry about yourself, getting distracted like that is how you end up in behind bars… or worse." His voice took on a solemn note as he spoke, as though there was something deeper behind his words.

That gave Ruby pause… she realized, she knew Roman only about as well as she knew herself. Rexxie even less so, and she'd never even met Neo in person. She released a gentle sigh as she turned back towards the window, her breath fogging it up for a short moment.

 _I'd like to know more… about the people in my life. They probably barely trust me. I want to ask but I don't want them to think I'm prying. I don't mind not knowing about my past so much but… I'd like to get to know them better._

She felt the car slowly rolling to a stop on the side of a narrow, empty street. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked to Roman who was checking his Scroll as he had been doing as frequently as he could, no doubt organizing every detail of their imminent heist. Ruby turned back to the window, her expression becoming stern and hard.

 _This is it._ She steeled herself, flipping her red, blood stained hood over her head to obscure her face from view, and then clicked, pulled on the handle, the car door sliding back as she readied herself to begin her mission. She hopped down, her boots landing heavily on the sidewalk, her cape fluttering as it followed her down. She pulled on the door and with her meager body weight behind it, she swung it closed, but just before it slammed shut, she could swear she heard Roman's voice.

"Good luck." She barely registered it over the slamming of the door, but she knew she heard it. She stood on the sidewalk as she watched van drive off, leaving her alone to see her part of the operation through, but despite it all, she smiled. Roman's words played in her mind once more as she turned around, pulling her hood down over her forehead before vanishing into a dark alley.

 _I won't let you down._

* * *

She had gone over the details over and over in her head, making sure not to forget a thing, reciting everything she thought was important as she walked down the dingy alleyways. She knew she was close, Roman dropped her off only a few streets away.

 _Come on Ruby, everyone is counting on you. You can do this, just stay calm and stay focus and… don't get arrested._ She sighed, slumping her shoulders as she walked. _If they arrest me… will they try to return me to whatever my old life was… to whoever my family was?_

The thought made her shudder, what terrified her even more, was the extension of that thought… she may never see Roman or Rexxie or Neo ever again. _I'd be robbed of the life I've chosen. That's all the more reason for me to not get caught!_

She stepped out into a cramped and narrow divide between two buildings, at the end, she could see clearly across the next street and there it was; her target, only a calm two lane road between her and it. She stared at it for a long moment before taking a long, deep breath. _Okay, here goes._

Pushing her nerves aside Ruby crouched down and hid herself behind an overflowing metal trash can at the very edge of the alley. The streets were quiet, she didn't hear any traffic or footsteps coming her way. Her body relaxed easing the tension in her muscles, thankful that no one unexpected would get in her way. Looking back up, she focused herself, readying herself to begin.

 _Okay, according to Neo's recon, there should only be four plainclothes police officers in normal cars, two on each side of the road… okay, so what do I do about it? Come on Ruby, think! How am I going to make sure they call for backup and set the alarm off? What can I-_

She blinked, her eyes falling to the ground beneath her fixing on a rusty disk of metal. It was like a light bulb went off and a devilish grin formed from her lips.

 _That could work._ She she chuckled to herself, quietly grabbing it and tucking it between her arm and torso. _Okay, now all I need to do is see what's where with my own eyes. I guess the best way to go would be up…_

Ruby tilted her head towards the sky, still crouching behind the trash can. Her eyes bounced from one roof to the other, judging their distances. Biting her lip she thought through every move she'd need to make to scale the buildings, wishing they were just a little further apart so she'd be less likely to hurt herself.

 _Okay, I think I can do it that way… I hope._ She gulped as she looked for the perfect place to begin, her gaze settling on a single loose brick protruding out from the side of the building further down the alley. Squeezing her improvised weapon even tighter against her side, she leaned forward, building up tension in her front foot and then…

 _ **Whoooosh**!_

She zoomed forward in a blur of red, the vacuum left in her wake rattling the trash she had hid behind. Just one foot landed on the outcropped brick, even in the the brief moment she lingered there, she felt it crumbling beneath her foot from the impact, she knew she had but an instant to make her next jump before it powderized.

Gritting her teeth she launched herself up, with almost no space to move she had zero margin for error as she twisted her body and positioned her legs for the next impact against wall, her feet slammed into the brick and she felt the tug of gravity pulling her down, she had to wait until just the right moment when gravity aligned her body for the next jump.

 _Now!_ She sprang forward in a flurry of rose petals. Jump after jump she felt the force of the impact through her body, even with her aura protecting her, slamming into walls at high speeds sent waves of pain radiating up her body, but with each jump she knew she couldn't give even a fraction of her focus to anything else.

Finally her hand smacked into the ledge of the building's roof. Pressing her legs into the side of the building she pushed down, swinging her body into an easy handstand, teetering on the stories high ledge upside down. Without a second thought she released one of her hands putting all her weight on one arm while she twisted her body around, using the momentum to turn her body for a comfortable and gentle landing on the roof.

As soon as she was standing on a solid surface once again, she laid down, the front of her body getting uncomfortably warm from the sun soaked roofing tiles. _Okay, maybe none of that was a great idea, but at least I made it up here, and it doesn't seem like the police heard anything…_

She tried to slow her racing heart, the blood rushing through her ears impeding her hearing. She took long, steady breaths and relaxed her body. Soon enough, her heart quieted, beating softly within her chest. With a final relieved breath, she closed her eyes and listened.

In the background she could hear the bustle of the city, traffic and talking and noise… she tried to tune it out, focusing in on the sounds closest to her. She could hear the gentle wind blowing over over body, and some music coming from within the building she rested on and… nothing else.

 _Okay... I guess they really didn't notice me._ She opened her eyes and placed the trash can lid on top of her back, being careful to keep it as low as possible as she maneuvered it. As soon as it was steady, she put both her arms forward and began to drag herself along the flat roof. It wasn't comfortable, but at least she knew she couldn't be seen. Slowly and quietly, she pulled herself to the edge of the building overlooking the street. Pulling back her conspicuous bright red hood she slowly poked her head out over the side of the building.

There they were, four cars scattered around the street near the dust shop, two on each side of the street. Squinting her eyes she could even make out the figures within the vehicles. She counted them as quickly and thoroughly as she could before retreating her head back over the ledge.

' _Nine… there are nine police officers down there… okay, I can do this… I can do this!'_ She shut her eyes tight and psyched herself up. _'Alright… I can do this, it'll work, I just have to make sure they're all looking the other way!_ '

"Alright Ruby, you can do this!" She whispered to herself as she reached one arm behind her back and gripped the improvised weapon in her hand. "Three… two… one!"

Ruby lept up, holding the trashcan lid like a frisbee, in an instant her eyes locked on the the car furthest from her and then with all her might, she flung the lid! It whistled as it tore through the air!

The sound of shattering glass and crunching metal echoes loudly through the streets. Without a moment's hesitation Ruby turned around and began running on the roof up the street. She could hear sirens screeching behind her, she didn't slow down. She leaped from the the roof landing hard on another two stories lower.

 _Don't stop moving!_ Adrenaline surged through her body and the sounds of the sirens were drowned out by her own heart hammering away so hard she felt it might explode. She gritted her teeth and forced herself up before turning and sprinting towards the street. She crouched the moment her foot touched the end of the roof building up all the strength she could she closed her eyes and flung herself across the street, praying that she landed in the alley the connected to the dust shop.

She tucked herself into a ball and braced for impact. A moment later she felt her body slam against the ground, the impact losing it's damaging force as she rolled into it. The instant she slowed enough she slammed her foot into the pavement, her impact cracking the ground beneath her as she came to a sudden stop.

 _Ouch!_ Ruby winced against the pain, she wasn't even sure where it was coming from exactly. _Okay, maybe that wasn't the best idea I've ever had, then again, what do I know?_

Shakily she forced herself to stand, her knee nearly giving out as she rose. She clenched her jaw and commanded her body to move. _I really hope this is just some leftover damage from whatever Roman did to me before I woke up and not just how I am, I feel so weak right now!_

Ruby was huffing as she tried to catch her breath, her lungs burning as though she inhaled fire. Her mouth and throat were dry and even her head began to hurt again. Then, a sound took her attention from everything, blood drained from her face in terror as she heard the sound of shouting growing nearer, and then she could even hear the sound of heavy footsteps quickly closing in around her.

She turned to the Dust shop, noticing for the first time that she landed right next to a window. Her head darted rapidly between the window and the opening of the alleyway and for just a brief moment… she thought about running away.

 _No!_ She screamed into herself, the guilt she felt at that moment hurting more than any of her physical injuries. _Roman and everyone else is counting on me! I came here to do a job, I'm not going to let them down. This is what I came to do anyway!_

With burning determination in her eyes she wrapped her cape over the front of her body and launched herself through the window, shards of glass bouncing off her cloak as her body smashed through the flimsy flimsy panes.

She rolled to a stop on the floor and within moments the stores own alarms were blaring in her ears, mixing painfully with the sirens right out side. Terror gripped her heart and her eyes grew wide as she frantically looked around her.

"Please be a way out please be a way out!" Ruby pleaded. She could just make out the sound of a door in the front being slammed open. She spun around and as though in answer to her prayers she saw a smaller window that led out behind the shop. Without even taking a moment to protect herself she bolted for the window and flung herself straight through it with all her weight focused on her elbow to shatter the glass.

"Hey! Get back here!" A man screamed as she raced away from the shop. She didn't slow down.

She just ran.

Darting through alleys and side streets as fast as she could she never looked back, keeping her eyes forward with every frantic step. Ruby only sporadically using her semblance so as not to leave a trail straight back to her, or worse, Roman and the others. She didn't stop, even when her legs felt like they were one on the verge of failing and her lungs feeling as though they would collapse, she didn't stop.

* * *

 _Are they still behind me?! Are they still chasing me!? Did they see my face!? I have to get away! I have to get to the meet up point! N- Neo should be waiting for me! I- I just have to get there! How far is it!? Where… where am I?_ Finally, only hearing the sirens off in the distance, she slowed down even though her entire body begged her to just collapse.

"I- I was so focused on getting away that I didn't even know which way I was going!" If she had the strength to lift her arms, she would have planted her face firmly in her palm. _Crap, now what do I do!? It's not like I can ask directions!_

"Ou!" Ruby yelped as she slammed into something, her entire body recoiling from the impact and nearly falling over.

"Oh my, are you okay! I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming up behind me!" A tall woman with long red hair and soft green eyes looked at her apologetically.

"I-it's fine, you just scared me… sorry I walked into you I was- I was in a kind of a hurry." Ruby tried her best to make herself look as normal as possible, but she could tell by the young woman's darkening expression that she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Are you alright? You don't look well." The woman frowned as she looked over Ruby's ragged and worn out state.

"Oh no, I um… I was just doing some really intense jogging! I mean, you know, gotta stay in shape!" She forced herself to smile as brightly as she could fake despite her blatantly lame lie.

"Are you sure? I mean… if you need help…" The red haired woman trailed off as she looked over Ruby more closely. She could see scorch marks and blood stains on her clothes, and shards of glass littered her clothes and hood.

"Um… actually, maybe you could point me in the right direction? I kinda… got lost." She blushed, smiling sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Oh, yes, I should be able to help. Where are you trying to go?" The woman's concern didn't ebb from her voice as she watched the small, worn down girl pull out a small, wrinkled piece of paper.

"I'm trying to get to this street here, but I kinda have no idea… where I am right now." Ruby held out the paper, blocking the exact address with her thumb.

"That's actually only a couple streets down from here." The woman said with a slightly brighter tone as she looked up from the hastily written note.

"Really!?" She gasped in astonishment. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, yes. It should only take you two left turns to get there…" She paused as she looked over the girl once more, this time, noticing a still healing wound on her forehead, almost completely hidden by her bangs. "Would you maybe like me to accompany you? You really don't look well."

"No, I'm fine! I swear! Actually, I'm a lot better now thanks to you, I was kinda panicking a little when I thought I was hopelessly lost. So… thank you!" Ruby beamed once again, but this time it wasn't feigned, it was her bright warm smile that lit up her entire face and seemed to somehow infect others who witnessed it, and the woman she looked up at was no exception.

"I'm always happy to help." She reflected Ruby's smile with her own, but it began to fade as she saw her body trembling, seeming to struggle just from standing. "Don't… push yourself too hard, okay? You should take care of yourself, you'll only hurt the ones that care about you if treat yourself this way."

Ruby looked up at the woman, her grin too, fading away until it was little more than a small, wistful smile colored darker by eyes filled with guilt and sorrow. _I wonder… if any of them would really feel that way? It wouldn't sound like them but…_ She thought about the last words Roman said to her, and the talk she had with Rexxie and she felt tears welling up in her eyes.

 _They probably don't care about me in the normal ways people do, but I don't think I mean nothing to them. Even if I don't mean anything now… I'll work hard for them and that will change… right?_

"I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong!?" The woman said frantically, looking distraught and regretful as she seemed to be trying to think very fast of something to say to make Ruby better… and that was all she needed.

Ruby let out a stifled snort, covering her face with her mouth. Despite the burning in her chest and her pure exhaustion, she couldn't contain herself as a the snort devolved into painful laughter, tears formed in the corner of her eyes and she just gave up and laughed, the increasing confused look on the woman's face not helping in the slightest.

"I- I'm sorry!" She and her exhaustion finally forced her boisterous laughter into a few more convulsive giggles as she wiped away the tears from her eyes with a wide grin aching her blushing cheeks. "I wasn't laughing at you like in a mean way, it's just, you looked so flustered and, I don't know, I just kinda lost it!"

"Well, at least you're happy now, that's what matters." The woman smiled still looking a bit confused.

"H-hey… um, do you if I… ask you your name?" Ruby looked down bashfully the moment her words left her mouth, tucking her head back a tiny bit but still smiling despite her shyness.

"Not at all!" The woman's eyes seemed to light up for a moment with happiness as she outstretched her hand. "My name's Pyrrha, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

"N-nice to meet you too!" Ruby reached out her trembling arm, meeting Pyrrha's hand and gripping it gently. Ruby couldn't help but feel how warm and soft her hand was, not unlike the overall feeling she got as she talked to her. "My name is… it's Ruby!"

After a brief exchange of warm and happy looks, Ruby finally released Pyrrha's hand, mostly because her muscles being unable unable to support the weight of her arm against gravity anymore. Then, her heart sank as she watched her expression shift from happiness to ponderance, as though she were trying very hard to remember something. In the next instant, Ruby realized with dread why that might be.

"Ruby… somehow that seems… familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?" Pyrrha placed her chin between her thumb and index finger staring down at the ground for a long moment, reaching deep within her mind to find out where she way have heard that name. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, it struck her, Pyrrha's eyes growing wide and her jaw dropping ever so slightly as she looked up.

"Are you-" As soon as her eyes lifted she was battered by a strong gust of air as for just a moment, she swore she saw a red blur darting away from her. Pyrrha stared dumbly down the street as a shower of rose petals drifted to the ground. "Ruby… Rose?"

She shoved her hand into her pocket and pulled out her Scroll. As quickly as she could she shuffled through her contacts and clicked the call button, putting the Scroll to her ear, pacing impatiently back and forth as a the phone rang.

"Hello?" A confused but familiar voice spoke from the other side of the Scroll.

"Yang…" Pyrrha paused, taking one last look down the street that Ruby had vanished down, debating if that was even her classmate's little sister that she had seen just moments ago. She frowned, not wanting to give Yang false hope.

 _No, it's better that I tell her and be wrong, than keep this to myself if it really was her._

"Yang… I think I just saw your sister."

* * *

Ruby unwillingly began to stir from the darkness, her entire body and mind protesting, urging her to fall back into sleep's refreshing embrace. She would have gladly done so, her entire being felt exhausted, she could have slept for hours more… if not for the incessant jostling she felt through her entire body.

With a pang of anger and annoyance in her stomach, she tried to open her eyes, which was a lot harder to do than she had imagined. She felt something soft tickling her nose and as she gained more awareness, she felt a pressure behind her legs and at her shoulders. With immense effort she finally blinked her eyes open and she was very taken aback and confused by what she saw.

Ruby found herself looking up at the face of a woman with long hair, brown on one side, pink on the other, with streaks of white on the pink side. Her eyes were beautiful, each a different color. It took her a long moment to realize… she was being carried.

"N-Neo?" She whispered hazily as she tried to think back on what happened. _Okay… so, that Pyrrha girl… it seemed like she recognized me. I ran away, going the way that she told me to go and then I saw the black van, right where it was supposed to be. I crawled in and then… and then what? Did I really just pass out? Neo saw me just fall asleep like that!?_

Ruby's face flushed with embarrassment, snapping her further into alertness. _Crap, I can't believe I did that! I just fell asleep, what are they going to think of me now?! I screw up! I screwed-_

Her panicked thoughts were cut off abruptly as she felt herself falling, landing butt first on something soft. Neo stood there, looking down silently at her with… a surprisingly warm smile. It was then that she noticed, she was back inside their headquarters, she could hear the bustle of busy hands moving boxes and apparently celebrating judging by the sounds of laughter and casual talking.

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand fall on top of her head. Her attention snapped back to Neo who's grin now seemed more playful and sly as she held a large shopping bag up in front of her. Ruby just stared between her and the bag in confusion, fighting desperately for every iota of alertness.

"You did good today Red, just take it. Neo did go out of her way for you, so maybe at least pretend to be grateful. I know her sense of style is scary but still."

Ruby turned to the very familiar voice behind her. A still slightly confused smile spread across her face as she looked up at Roman Torchwick, lighting his cigar while he sat himself down on top of the couch. Suddenly, a blur of pink ripped the cigar from his mouth just before it touched the flame of his lighter.

Ruby and Roman both turned in confusion as they saw Neo holding his cigar with an admonishing look in her eyes as she scowled at him, gesturing to the small confused girl in front of her. She then pointed at the cigar and with a frighteningly calm smile, she ripped it in half before letting both pieces fall to the ground.

"Neo! Do you know how expensive those are!?" Roman burst out in anger as he stared down at his tattered tobacco. Neo simply shrugged before stepping on it and grinding it with her foot and then proceeding to jump up and down on it with both feet. Torchwick looked absolutely mortified but Ruby couldn't help but giggle softly as she watched the spectacle.

"I'm sorry! I'll stop smoking in front of Red! Just stop… stop this madness!" He yelled dramatically.

Raising her chin victoriously, Neo finally spared Roman any more torment, stepping off from what used to be his cigar, leaving him to standing over it, looking down at its mangled remains in grieving. Ruby stared dumbfounded for a moment, this was a side of Roman she had never seen.

 _I guess he really loosens up after a job goes right… wait, the job went right! I- I did it!_

"Well kid," Roman stood up and turned around to face Ruby, his expression more serious, but still wearing a satisfied smile. "You did good today, we didn't expect you to go above and beyond, attacking a police car with a trash can lid! That was brilliant! So, congrats Red, you're one of us now."

Ruby's heart soared, overwhelming all the pain in her aching body and all the exhaustion, none of it compared to how much joy she felt in that moment. Her eyes became clouded with tears of happiness as she beamed at Roman and Neo, hoping she was the only one who could tell she was on the verge of crying.

"Kid, if you start crying I'll have to take it back!" Roman snickered before getting jabbed in his side by Neo, who gave him a scolding glare before turning her attention back to Ruby. She smiled more softly and dropped the shopping bag into her lap.

"Neo bought that before this mission, as a sort of welcome gift if everything went well, she was unusually optimistic about you kid. She's been excited to give it to you, so, what are you waiting for, go try it on!"

"R-right!" Ruby grabbed the bag by its twine handles and stood up, her legs nearly giving as she she did. She walked nervously by Roman and Neo as she made her way into the big room.

As she was expecting, many eyes fell on her, she felt the pressure of their gaze as she walked nervously through the throngs of people, but then, hazarding a look up at them she saw… they were smiling… at her! Some giving her nods of approval while others raised their glasses full of drink to her as she passed. As awkwardly smiled and nodded back, but deep down she felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and… peace. As she made her way up the stairs and into her bedroom, one truth kept echoing her her head that made her smile ceaselessly;

 _I belong._

With a sigh of immense satisfaction, she shut the door behind her and locked it and began to change into her new clothes, her smile not once fading.

* * *

"H-how do I look?" She asked nervously as she stood in front of Neo and Roman, their mouths agape with stunned looks on their faces. Ruby blushed brightly, growing increasingly uncomfortable under their gaze.

It was clear that Neo had picked it out, but she knew it was with her in mind. She wore a black jacket with only three buttons at her chest. The base of it falling on both her sides giving a wide divide at her belly, showing off her dark red top underneath. It had long, loose sleeves that ended in up folded cuffs pinned down with bright red button at her wrists.

She felt a hood at her neck, just like with her old outfit, though this hood was black, fading down in a gradient from pitch black to bright red as it flowed down into her long signature cape. Her skirt had been replaced by black shorts, frayed at the bottom and secured around her waist with a silver chain. She wore black knee socks that ended several inches from her shorts. At her feet were heavy black boots with bright red lacing.

Still, her favorite part of her outfit squeezed gently on her throat. She smiled as she reached up her and, gently brushing a black choker adorned in the middle with three red gems, one in the center and two dangling down on thin gold chains just below it on both sides. She couldn't express just how much she loved everything.

"Damn Red, you actually don't look half bad!" Roman said still seeming a bit awestruck from his comfortable position on the couch. Ruby couldn't help but blush even harder, closing her eyes against the embarrassment. Then, she shot them open as she felt a warm hand fall gently on top of her head.

Neo stood only inches away smiling up at Ruby as she gently patted her head, running her gloved fingers through her soft short hair. She gave a small but affirming nod to Ruby as she pulled her hand back to her side.

"Neo…" Ruby felt her eyes clouding up again, but this time, she didn't hesitate. In a blur of red and black she swung her arms around the shorter woman pulled her into a tight and incredibly happy embrace. Neo's face was stunned but after a moment, her face softened and she leaned her head against Ruby's shoulder and returned the hug with a warm, gentle smile on her face.

' _I belong…_ ' Ruby's heart flared with warmth and contentment as she felt nothing short of love. She could barely see now, but she didn't let go. In her mind, one thing echoed above all else.

 _I'm... home._

* * *

"You thinking the White Fang?" Two police officers stood in front of a dust shop with caution tape strew about the scene.

"I'm thinking I don't get paid enough." His partner shrugged as they carried on investigating the scene. A short distance away, four girls stood staring at the scene, all with worried expressions, but Yang looked absolutely distraught.

"The White Fang, what a bunch of degenerates!" Weiss huffed, her venomous tone drawing an annoyed glance from Blake.

"Come on, it's just speculation right now, they're not sure who did this." Thistle chimed in, seeing the irritation in Blake's eyes.

"Even so, the White Fang are despicable faunus terrorists, I wouldn't be surprised if they were involved somehow!" Weiss's unbridled bitterness made their team unease as their normally calm and cool leader rarely lost her temper like this.

"The White Fang are hardly a bunch of psychopaths, they're just… misguided faunus who wanted to help get out of oppression." Blake sounded almost defensive as she glared down her leader.

"Misguided!?" Weiss shouted. "They-"

"That's enough girls!" Yang spun around, the rage in her voice silencing both of them. "Pyrrha said she saw Ruby around here and it just happens to be near where another Dust shop got robbed, just like when she first went missing? No, she may have escaped, or fought them!"

"She…" Yang's gaze fell as her mind was reeling from all the worst things she could think of. "She could be out there, scared and alone. This isn't the time to be arguing with each other!"

She looked back up to her team with a broken expression when suddenly, her eyes were drawn to something fluttering in the breeze. Her heart skipped a beat as she shot her hand up in front of it, letting the gentle wind usher it into her palm. Closing her fingers around it carefully she snatched it out of the air and held it down, her team looking at her in confusion.

She slowly opened her fist, carefully protecting the fragile rose petal from getting blown away. Her friends all looked down at the tiny red petal cradled in her palm. Tears began rolling down Yang's cheeks as she held it to her chest and closed her eyes.

 _Ruby… I'm coming for you. I'm close. Don't lose hope._


	9. Inferno

"Here you go Red, your cut." Roman handed her a bulging envelope, the thin strip of clear tape barely holding it closed.

Ruby blinked at him in confusion for a moment before reaching across the table at taking it from his hand. Slowly, she pulled the tape off, being careful not to tear the paper as she opened it and looked inside. Lien… it was a filled with a thick stack of Lien.

"My cut?" Ruby cocked her head bemused.

"Right. The job went off without a hitch and we came away with a huge score, which means we get paid. Since your part in the job was the crux of the operation, and you pulled it off flawlessly, you get your cut. It's your first taste Red, get yourself something nice with it." He leaned back in his chair as he grinned at her, but Ruby just stared at it with furrowed brows and a soft frown.

"Where would I spend it?" She closed the envelope and looked into Roman's deep green eyes, her own glistening with sadness and longing.

"What? How should I know? You could spend it all on candy for all I care!" His tone was sharp with annoyance as he glared aggravatedly at Ruby for a moment before a sudden realization struck him, and his expression softened with regret.

"It's not like you're a prisoner here anymore. You're just like everyone else, you can take care of yourself. I can't keep wasting my time babysitting you. Go out and spend your Lien or something." He growled as he looked away from Ruby, seemingly struggling to get back his normal smug, hard look.

Ruby smiled at him, her worry and fear evaporating. She let out a gentle, tiny breath as she grabbed her cut of their score, fighting with it to fit into her tight and shallow shorts' pockets before just giving up and placing it in her lap with a frustrated grumble. Her gaze returned to Roman who was looking at her with one eyebrow raised having watch the spectacle of her losing to her own pockets.

"I- I um… I'm just not used to this outfit yet! These pockets are really tiny and like, it's a lot of Lien maybe I should buy a purse!" Ruby spat out her words in rapid fire in a futile attempt to cover up her embarrassment and growing blush.

Roman let out a long, exasperated sigh as he placed his hand on his face and shook his head slowly. Ruby puffed out her cheeks and narrowed her eyes at him in indignation before crossing her arms over her chest and looking away from him with an angry huff.

"Just try to keep a low profile when you go out, kid. Last thing we need is for you to get made by someone from your past or worse, the cops." His face turned stark and serious as he spoke.

Ruby looked guiltily away from him, her eyes coming to rest on the table below her as she remembered the girl she had ran into after escaping the police. _Pyrrha… she seemed like she knew me from before… somehow. I wish she didn't, she was really nice. Maybe we could have… been friends._

"Try not to get too worked up kid, just stay far away from the scene of the crime and don't attract needless attention to yourself. Either way, I've got an errand to run, so you're out of my hair for the day. Do try to stay out of trouble and out of the way." Without another word he stood up from the chair and started walking to the door.

"Wait…" Ruby called out softly, her eyes still lingering over the table, afraid to meet Roman's gaze as he stopped halfway out the door. "Yesterday… when I was running from the police, I- I ran into someone and it seemed like they knew me… from before."

"Oh?" Torchwick said as she heard him turn back towards her, letting to door fall partially closed.

"As soon as I realized she might have known me, I ran away. I didn't tell her anything but my name first name, but still… I just, needed to tell you." Her head fell even lower and her shoulders slumped as she resigned herself and awaited her impending reprimand.

"Did you want to go with her?"

Ruby's head shot up at the unexpectedly gentle and cold tone in his voice. Roman's head was dipped down, his hat and hair hiding his eyes from her view. They both seemed frozen in place as neither moved nor uttered a word for a long moment. Ruby's heart felt even heavier with guilt, but also, a tinge of betrayal.

 _I- I've proven that I want to be here, he said I was one of them… I belong here, why can't he trust me!? I thought… I made him understand. Why does he still think I would want to leave?_ She gritted her teeth as her guilt was burned away with anger.

"No." Her voice was cold as ice as she narrowed her gaze onto him. "I ran away because I wanted to come back here! I belong here, and I'm not going anywhere. You can count on me to do whatever is needed of me, so trust that I want to be here, I'm choosing to be here! I want to stay with you and Neo and Rexxie, I want this life. If you wanted me gone, you'd have to fight me first!"

She finished her speech by slamming her hands into the metal of the table, a loud bang echoing through the room as she pushed herself up to face Roman, her entire being exuding her conviction as she stared up at him with burning silver eyes.

"Whoa, calm down kid, it was just a question!" Roman gave a dismissive, patronizing grin as he lifted his hat with his index finger. "I didn't mean anything like that by it so relax."

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I just… I'm finally feeling accepted here. I didn't want to take a step backwards. I did the right thing, I ran away. I just wanted to tell you that it happened… that's all." Ruby tried to force a reassuring smile, but she knew he was lying. That sadness in his voice when he asked, there was no way she was wrong. Still, deep down, she felt a warmth growing in her chest, she knew, Roman didn't want her to leave.

"Well, don't get so worked up. Anyway, just be careful. You literally don't know who might have known you from before. My advice, just don't talk to anyone outside of our little group. Like I said though, you're free to do what you want, just don't bring anything back on us." His demeanor seemed back to normal, easing the tension in her chest.

"I promise, I won't." She paused, smiling softly up at him, the fire in her eyes quenched with gratitude as she look up. "Thank you, Torchwick."

"Just stay out of trouble." He shrugged before turning back to the door one last time. "See ya."

With those parting words he was gone, leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts in the small room. Despite their talk, Ruby couldn't silence shadow of worry in the back of her mind that kept clawing its way back. Picking up her stack of Lien she slowly stood from the table, her expression downcast as she too made her way to the door.

 _What if, that girl, Pyrrha… told someone about me. The cops? Someone else from my old life? What if they're searching for me? I- I'm afraid to go out now… because I don't want to leave and never come back._

With one last worried look into the room, she flicked the switch, plunging everything into total darkness as she shut the door behind her.

* * *

Ruby groaned as she walked down the stairs that connected her bedroom to the rest of their headquarters. Roman had been gone for an hour now, leaving her unsure of what to do. Everyone seemed really busy, even Rexxie had his hands full, and there wasn't much she could do to help. Instead, she whiled away the last hour scribbling down ideas of what to buy with her hard earned Lien, to little success.

As she descended the final step she found herself in the large warehouse like room. It seemed to be getting busier and louder by the days went by and more and more people with strange masks were pouring in, now they outnumbered Roman's usual men. It kinda made her uneasy.

 _What can I do? Everyone's working hard and I'm just… doing nothing. I don't want to be useless or in the way, but I wouldn't even know where to start._ She fretted as her eyes scanned the room, not entire sure what she was looking for.

 _Wait! I bet Neo isn't busy! I should go find her!_ Ruby smiled brightly as she looked for one person in particular, her gaze finally landing on a familiar face sorting through papers. She ran to him, darting deftly between the busy throngs without disturbing anyone.

"Rexxie!" She called, skidding to a stop only a couple feet in front of him. Her bubbly demeanor fell into concern as her friend turned to her. He looked tired and agitated, like something was weighing on his mind. Still, she could see his face brighten as he looked at her.

"I'm kinda busy kid, what's up?" He spoke with a tone of mock annoyance. She imagined he was happy for even the briefest reprieve from all the paperwork.

"Have you seen Neo? I wanted to talk with her." Despite her simple question he looked at her dubiously.

"Talk… with Neo? How is that possible?" He chuckled.

"So have you seen her or not Rexxie?" Ruby gave him a light hearted grin, leaning forward as she placed her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure she went to the kitchen not that long ago, might still be there." His eyes drifted up as he tried to recall exactly long ago he had seen her.

"Thanks! It's as good a place to start as any! Oh, and don't push yourself too hard okay?" Her tone became more gentle as she looked at his tired face with a pang of concern.

"Ha, I never do kid!" They both couldn't help but chuckle, Ruby happy to see him sounding more like his usual self.

"Well, I'll see you later than! Thanks again!" She called as she walked away, waving goodbye to him as she maneuvered around the other people who were hard at work. Spinning around, she made a beeline for the hallway leading to the kitchen.

 _I'll have to ask Rexxie what's going on… he seemed like he's really bothered by something. Maybe he's just stressed about whatever all those people are here for. I wonder who they are?_

As she walked down the hall the noise from the big room grew more distant and less overwhelming. There was almost no traffic going towards the kitchen, which she was thankful for. She just hoped that Neo was still there, it was a big place and she might have left, then she'd have no way of finding her.

Apprehensively, Ruby pushed the kitchen door open and walked in. For a moment, she felt dismayed, seeing no sign of her friend, a frown began to form from her lips but a subtle motion in her periphery grabbed her attention. She turned to see Neo staring perplexed at her, a steaming teacup held daintily in her hand.

Hey!" She shot her hand into the air and waved excitedly, with no small amount of relief in her voice.

Neo tilted her head curiously as she gently placed her cup down on a glass coaster on the counter behind her. Ruby was smiling her usual brilliant smile as she walked up to her, and Neo couldn't help but reciprocate with a small grin of her own.

"Hey, um, I was wondering if maybe you… I mean, if you're not busy of course… maybe…" Ruby felt her brain shutting down as she tried to speak, suddenly feeling to she shouldn't even ask.

 _She's probably busy, even if she's not, she seems like she's trying to relax right now. I was being kinda selfish…_ Just as she was about to spiral into doubt, she felt a gentle pressure on top of her head. Looking up from the floor, Ruby found Neo giving her a soft, reassuring smile as she gently rubbed her head.

 _That's right… I don't have to be nervous or scared. These are my friends._ Ruby took a deep steadying breath before returning Neo's smile with her own.

"Do want to come out with me?!" She blurted out, her confidence now high.

For a moment, Neo looked taken aback as she brought her hand back to her side. She stared at Ruby with an inscrutable look for a few seconds, just long enough for her to start feeling uncomfortable again. Then, she grinned, falling back against the kitchen counter. Her arms folded over her chest and she brought one foot back against the cabinets before giving a solid nod.

"Really!?" Ruby's face lit up with excitement as Neo finished off her tea with one last large sip, placing it back on the coaster with a satisfying clink.

"This is gonna be so much fun!" Ruby squeaked with enthusiasm as Neo walked by, her umbrella resting atop her shoulder. "Lunch is on me!"

As the pair walked out of kitchen, Ruby felt at ease. With Neo by her side, she wasn't afraid to go out, she wasn't afraid that she might be taken away and never come back. She could just focus on… having fun.

* * *

Heeding Roman's advice, the two girls stuck far away from the scene of their last crime. Still, Ruby couldn't help but smirk as she thought about his other warning. The pair were anything but inconspicuous, a tiny woman dressed like a doll with brown and pink hair and a child in a cape, jacket and shorts. She was pretty sure this isn't what he had in mind when he said don't draw attention.

The streets weren't particularly busy, but they weren't desolate either, and they definitely attracted the eyes of passerbys. Still, she didn't care, they were having fun. Ruby carried two bags, one from a clothing outlet and the other from a department store and she hadn't even spent half of her Lien yet.

Ruby talked on and off as they enjoyed the beautiful day and Neo seemed happy to listen, responding with nods and smiles, never once seeming annoyed with her. Neo herself carrying a small bag in one hand, and her open umbrella in the other, shielding her partially from the bright sun.

"Thanks again for coming out with me, I know you probably wanted to relax, I really didn't want to come alone, so… thanks!" Ruby beamed gratefully down at Neo who responded with a light hearted shake of her head and a shrug of her shoulders.

"Um… can I ask you something. I know it's kinda out of nowhere but, I've been thinking about it for a couple days…" Ruby paused to gauge her reaction and to have more time to summon up the courage to ask. Neo tilted her head at the question and blinked up and her awaiting the rest of the question as they walked.

"Well, I was hoping that maybe you'd… spar with me?" Her cheeks tinting a light pink as she spoke. "I mean, everyone says that you're really strong and I want to get better because I want to be able to help as much as I can so I'd like to learn from you, and I think the best way is to just fight you know?"

Suddenly, with a twirl, Neo stepped in front of Ruby, walking backwards as she help her mischievous eyes locked on her while she leaned in with a playfully devilish grin. There was no mistaking the excitement that lit up her eyes. For an instant Ruby felt afraid to fight the small woman, there was no mistaking it, she could just tell… she was really strong.

"Heh-heh… Glad to see you're excited." Ruby looked away, smiling nervously. _Maybe that was a bad idea._

Suddenly, her smile vanished and her eyes grew wide with shock and fear as they locked onto a paper taped to the shaft of a streetlight. Her mouth gaped slightly as she staggered back a step. She could feel her heart quickening. She grew pale as blood drained from her face.

 _I-it's… me._

Ruby reached out her now trembling hand as she pulled the flier off the pole. It was a picture of her in her old outfit, smiling for a camera, she could see someone else's elbow in the frame resting on her shoulder. She dipped her head down, her bangs concealing her distressed and angry eyes as she stared down numbly at the paper trembling in her hands.

'"Missing; Ruby Rose. Age 15. Defining features; Short black hair with red tips, silver eyes and a distinctive red hood and cape. Last seen at From Dust Till Dawn Dust Shop. If- if you have any information please… call-'

She couldn't read further, her eyes shut tight against the pain and anger burning through her entire body. Her fingers dug into the paper, crumpling it as she balled her fists. Her jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

 _Why… why? Why here? Why now? I'm not coming back! This is my life now, I don't want to come back!_ She screamed as loud as she could in her mind as she felt her throat tighten as her eyes water. _I don't want to leave! Why can't you just let me go… I- I'm happy here, with Roman and Neo and Rexxie. I belong there, helping them, giving them my strength! Just let me go… whoever you are… just please… stop trying to find me…_

Just as she began to succumb to the turmoil in her mind, she felt a gentle pressure on her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, she could barely see as tears fell from her eyes onto the picture of her in her hands. Neo stood beside her with concern and compassion in her eyes, her thumb gently rubbing Ruby's shoulder.

With a long, shaky breath, Ruby wiped away the tears in her eyes, letting Neo's gentle touch quell the storm in her mind. Her body relaxed as her trembling ceased and she swallowed down the lump in her throat.

"It's okay Neo… thank you. I'm… I'm alright." Her smile was frail and somber, but there was a thankfulness behind it. "I'm sorry I lost it there for a second. I'm alright now."

Without another word, Ruby turned the paper lengthwise in her hands and without hesitation, she pulled both her hands in opposite directions, easily ripping the paper right down the middle. Her grey eyes were cold but firm with certainty as she crumpled both halves together between her hands.

 _I won't let you take this life from me. I'll fight against you with every breath._

"Come on." She turned to Neo, her gentle voice beginning to return, but was still marred by a dark and steely gaze. "Let's get something sweet, and then… let's go home."

She walked off the small hand that comforted her falling off her shoulder as she left Neo behind her, watching her with a worried look. Throwing the crumpled paper in the nearest trash can she turned stopped and waited for her friend to catch up as she stared up into the sky.

 _I won't let you take me from my family._

* * *

The sun was setting as Roman Torchwick walked through the dilapidated ghetto, puffing away at his cigar as he looked from building to building. Trashy didn't even begin to describe the state of the place, garbage strewn the streets and no building looked like it could pass a safety inspection. Still… he felt comfortable, almost, at home.

 _Just like the good 'ol days._ He chuckled bitterly to himself as he came to a stop. He turned to a small, innocuous building with dusty barred up windows and cluttered entrance. To anyone who didn't know better, they wouldn't give it a second thought. But it was Roman's job to know better.

He threw the nearly finished remains of his cigar down on the sidewalk, snuffing the embers out with his cane before he walked down the concrete path through the grassy front yard to the door. One there, he tapped on the heavy steel door with his cane, three times in rapid succession and a fourth with a brief but noticeable pause between it and the first three. Then, he waited.

He could hear heavy footsteps from inside. He impatiently fiddled with his cane as he heard the steps coming slowly closer until the doorknob begin to rattle. Roman stood there, his eyebrows raised as he heard lock after lock come down until finally, the knob began to turn and the door swung open.

Before him stood a large, bulky woman with dog ears on the top of her head. The faunus was even taller than him and easily outweighed him by pure muscle mass alone. She looked down at him with a mix of disgust and annoyance.

"Hey Crucible, been a while." Roman tried his best to sound amiable, but the faunus was apparently having none of it.

"Never long enough." Her voice was deep and imposing as she glared down at him. "I hear you've been working with the White Fang, what's that about? You're no moralist."

"Business my dear, just business." He placed his hat over his chest and gave a slight bow, grinning smugly the whole time.

"Right." Crucible rolled her eyes. "I almost didn't take this job because of that. Still, you paid upfront, which isn't like you, and your request… well, let's just say that it was hard to refuse. Gotta say though, it doesn't seem like your style Torchwick."

"That's because it's not for me." His voice carried a tinge of annoyance as his smile faded.

"Roman Torchwick, dropping a significant amount of money from his personal account on something for someone else!?" She chortled mockingly at him. "Remnant must be coming to an end or whoever this is for is someone really special."

"I don't pay you to ask questions." Roman growled, his grip tightening around the handle of his cane. "I pay you because you're one of the best and you're discrete. So, is my order ready or what?"

"Calm down kitten, it's not quite finished yet. Just doing the finishing touches." Her laughter ebbed as she saw the agitation in his eyes. "Take a walk, have a smoke, it'll be done by the time you get back."

"Fine…" Roman grumbled in frustration as he turned to walk away.

"Hey, it's the price you pay for perfection." Crucible laughed once more before shutting the door behind her. He could hear the locks clicking back into place as he walked back down the cement path.

He walked aimlessly down the street, unwrapping another cigar before jamming it between his teeth. He fished through his other pocket for his light, fumbling with it a few times before finally pulling it out and flipping it open. He was just about to strike down on the igniter when something caught his eye.

There, nailed into a wooden pole in front of him, was a piece of black and white paper with a picture on it. His hand fell limply to his side, his lighter clicking shut as he stared blankly at it for a long moment.

"Red…" He spoke softly, his voice flat and cold. Stepping closer to it, he ripped the paper off, tearing it from the nail that held it in place. With a blank expression he skimmed the flier, reading it begging for help to find the girl.

A faint smile spread around his cigar as he brought his lighter back up to him, spinning the wheel with his thumb he unleashed a small flame on the top of the paper. The fire quickly spread, reducing word after word to ash. He brought the burning paper to his cigar, taking in a breath it began to smolder, the fragrant tobacco smoke mixing with the scent of burning paper.

The flickering light danced, reflecting against his green eyes narrowed in bitter anger as he watched the picture of Ruby Rose get completely engulfed.

 _Give it up… she's not going back, and I'm not going to let you take her. She belongs with us._

* * *

"Ouch…" Ruby groaned as she stood in front of the mirror in her room, fastening the leather strap of her new bag to fit snugly around her waist. Her entire body was sore all over from her sparring match with Neo. She let out a long, exhausted sigh.

 _It wasn't much of a match. She kicked my butt ten times over. She's really something else. I need her to teach me some of her moves, if I could learn to fight like her I'd be able to take on just about anyone!_ She replayed their fights over and over again in her mind, thinking of everything should could have done better, and everything her opponent did perfectly.

Suddenly, soft knock at the door drew her attention as she turned her head to the sound she grimaced, a throbbing soreness radiate down her back from the motion. _Ouch… now I know how Rexxie felt after fighting me._

She limped to her door and slowly opened it, nearly jumping back in fright as the inflictor of her pain stood grinning up at her from at the threshold of her door.

"Neo! You scared me!" She took slow deep breaths, holding hand to her chest. "What's up?"

Neo's sly smiled brightened as she grasped Ruby's hand in her own and pulled her out of her room with little more warning that a quick tilt of her head, not even giving her time close the door behind her. Ruby could feel Neo's excitement as she quickly guided her down the stairs, not once releasing her hand, much to the discomfort of her aching body as she was tugged along.

"Neo, where are we going? Come on, it's late I'm tired from you beating me up all those time." She whined in vain as the force pulling her didn't even slow down. Finally, she was given a reprieve as they came to a stop in a break room, in front of her sat Roman Torchwick sitting on the couch looking more than very pleased with himself.

Ruby's hand was finally released as she joined Roman at the couch, sitting with her legs crossed on its arm as she smiled up at her. Ruby just looked between the two growing increasingly confused.

"Red, I made a couple sizable investments today." His smile grew even wider and his eyes gleamed with anticipation. Still, nothing he said made her any less confused.

"Okay?" She looked between the two on the couch with a bemused expression.

"I also went through a lot of trouble for the larger investment, you have no idea who I had to deal with to get it." He sighed running his hand down the side of his face with a momentary look of irritation. "Anyway kid. Here."

Roman stood up and walked up to her, presenting a small, nondescript box. Ruby's hand hesitated for a moment as she lingered over the box before gently lifting it from his palm. She gingerly pulled to top off the box, her eyes widening and a smile spreading across her face.

It was a Scroll... Her own Scroll! Should could barely contain her excitement as she beamed radiantly up at Roman who wore a gentle, please smile as he watched her excitement.

"It's untraceable, the work of an associate of mine. He does a good job of keeping us under the radar. It still has all the functionality of any other scroll, you just won't get tracked from using it. Myself, Neo and most of the people in our line of work have the same deal. It's a good thing for a criminal to have." He grinned sardonically, but the small girl's smile was unfazed, her eyes sparkling with gratefulness.

"I love it! Thank you so much!" She looked over the small device, running her fingers across the cool, smooth surface.

"Oh, and there's one more thing…" Roman turned away and stuck his fingers in his mouth before letting out a loud, shrill whistle. In its wake there was a moment of quiet before a door in the back of the room pushed open. Rexxie stepped out, carrying a very long and heavy looking box.

"Well Red," Roman began as Rexxie dropped the body carefully between them, giving her a warm, excited smile. "I endured a lot of grief from a bitter old dog to get this, so I hope you like it."

Ruby looked down at the body that was even taller than her. Kneeling down she began peeling back and tearing strips of tape holding it shut. Her mind reeling as every possibility ran through her mind. As she finally defeated the last piece of tape she slowly pulled the box open from the top.

"This is…" Her words were barely audible as she stared down into the box, her expression shocked blank. She looked up at Roman from her position on the floor. He was smiling down at her with a warm expression.

"It's yours Ruby. Go ahead." He gave a gentle, affirming nod.

Ruby's eyes filled with wonder and awe as she reach down into the box. Her small hands gently caressing the the cold, smooth shaft. She felt something welling up from deep within her as she fixed her grip firmly onto it. With a deep steady breath, she rose, lifting her gift with her.

The small girl cloaked in black and red held deftly in her hands a deadly and menacing scythe much taller than herself. The long solid hilt sloped gently up and down giving it an organic feel as it ascended to the massive curved blade that protruded out on both sides, one much larger than the other, the whole blade seemed to be forged from a single piece of metal, sharpened to a razors edge.

Mesmerized, Ruby ran her hands over the flat of the blade, her thumb gentle stroking where it had been ground into a scalpel sharp edge. She could see a barely visible seam where the two halves of the blade met, realizing that it must be designed to fold in on itself for easier carrying.

"Well… what do you think?" Roman's voice had a hint of uncertainty and worry as he struggled to read Ruby's complex but subtle expressions.

"What do I think?" She said blankly as she turned to Roman, her face still unreadable.

Without a word, Ruby squatted down and gingerly placed her new weapon on the floor. She looked back to Roman, carefully stepping over her weapon and the box it came in, she walked right up to him until they were standing only inches apart. She looked up at him silently as his expression feel somewhere between annoyance, confusion and worry.

Then, in the next instant, her true feelings were made abundantly clear. She leaped forward, throwing her arms around him as she slammed into his torso with all her weight behind her. Roman jumped back startled, throwing his hands up as he nearly fell over, his eyes wide and his face stunned. Ruby entwined her hands behind his back and held him tight, her head resting on his chest.

"I love it." She whispered so softly that only he could hear her.

As the shock wore off Roman looked down at her, his mouth agape. He turned his head to Neo, his eyes pleading for help obviously uncomfortable and out of his element. All Neo offered him was a silent laugh and a shrug, making it clear he was on his own. He turned his attention back to the small girl. He could feel her steady, warm breaths against his chest and… it made him feel strangely at ease. He smiled softly, closing his eyes for just a moment, letting the moment linger just a little bit longer.

He opened his eyes and looked down at Ruby, his normal suave grin returning as he place his hand on her head. He was surprised, for just a moment, at just how big his hand was on top of her head. He rubbed her head, vigorously tussling her hair much more vigorously than Neo, but Ruby could still feel the affection behind it.

"You're not done yet kid, there's one more quirk to your new weapon, I think you're going to like it." He gave a cocksure smile as Ruby pulled away from him. "Grab your scythe."

With a nod, Ruby bent over and picked up her weapon. Despite its imposing size, it was very light in her hand and she could move it effortlessly. It was only as she picked it up that she noticed a small cylinder built into the middle of the hilt with a small switch above it.

"Here." Roman held out a small vial of red Dust. "Just run your finger down the the container and it'll open. Put this in it, close it, flick the switch and stand back."

"Alright…" Ruby said with a hint of uncertainty, slightly worried about why she'd have to stand back. Still, she did as he said, running her index finger over the cylinder, it opened sensing her touch. The was a small compartment inside. She put the dust cartridge in and gently pushed it closed.

Taking a deep breath she held the scythe out, the long half of the blade pointing up the the ceiling and then… she flicked the switch.

In an explosion of light the blade was instantly consumed by a roaring fire! The dancing blaze bathing the room in a hot orange glow. Ruby stared in awe of the inferno that she held in her hands, and she felt a rush of power through her body. Her eyes narrowed and her expression became hard and confident. In a flowing sweep she effortlessly swung the blade down, grazing the ground before and sending sparks flying and it scorched the cement.

Her momentum arced the blade, leaving a trail of fire in its wake until it came to rest behind her, the wild flames casting her large flickering shadow over the entire room. She stood unafraid of the conflagration, wielding it as though it were second nature to her, even the heat didn't seem to bother her as her aura responded to the Dust in the weapon. Everyone stared at her, awestruck by the terrifying visage.

 _There it is._ Roman thought to himself as a wild smile spread across his face. _There's that fierceness! That girl, she's just a kid but I can see it, She's a natural born warrior!_

The orange glow faded as the flamed died down, Ruby's menacing demeanor dying with the flames as she stared at the handle of her weapon in front of her with an overjoyed smile. She looked up to Roman and the others. Neo's eye were wide and her jaw hanging open, if it were possible, Ruby would have said she was struck speechless. Rexxie had retreated a few steps back, looking at her with a look of fear and amazement. Then, her eyes met Roman's, and her smile softened.

"I know what I'm going to name it." She said softly as she carefully brought the blade back up, staring enamored at it. "From now on, this is my Inferno Crescent!"

"Well Red, I'm glad you like it because it's an investment." Roman stood up from the couch and walked up to her once more, this time, his expression more serious.

"Red, we've got a major heist coming up at the docks, one that will make your first job look like shoplifting. This time, you're not going to be playing the diversion, you'll be with me, front and center, and you'll deal with anyone that gets in our way." He put his hand reassuringly on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "I'm counting on you, I know you won't disappoint."

"I won't let you down." She nodded firmly, glaring with icy silver eyes at the deadly blade of her Inferno Crescent. "I'll put down anyone that tries to stop us..."


	10. Collision Course

"She's been missing all weekend…" Worry and dejection permeated through Yang's voice as and walked side by side with her teammates down the city streets. The atmosphere around them was unilaterally solemn.

Yang's mind couldn't help but draw a disturbing parallel as she balled her fists in anger. _First Ruby and now… Blake. What the hell is wrong with me!? I should have gone with her, I shouldn't have even let her leave in the first place! I… I should have been there… for both of them._

Walking beside her was a shortest teammate, a small girl with bright red hair with a side braid and purple eyes that darted fretfully between Yang and Weiss. She wore her characteristic outfit; Ragged denim shorts and little more than what seemed like a makeshift strip of purple fabric tied over her chest, leaving her belly exposed. At her wrists were two large purple and red manacles that were at least twice as wider than her small arms.

There was no small amount of guilt on Thistle's face, she and their leader had barely spoken a word since she lost her temper after Blake ran off, fearing she said some things that went too far in her fit of rage.

Their white haired leader however, had her mind firmly fixed elsewhere as she walked slowly out in front, her shoulders slumped, marring her usually perfect posture as she stared blankly at the ground in beneath her.

"This… is all my fault." Weiss' words were barely a bitter cold whisper her teeth clenched painfully tight. "I- I should have noticed, they way she was getting defensive… I should have stopped. I'm a failure as a leader."

"Don't say that. We're going to find her and, we'll talk this out. We need to hear what she has to say." Yang tried to sound reassuring but it was hard for her to ignore the growing pangs of annoyance in her chest as the heiress seemed to be making the situation all about her.

"D-does this mean you're not mad at her anymore?" Thistle said softly, her head tucked down but looking up at Weiss hopefully. Her looked flashed with worry and fear as their leader came to a sudden stop, staring down without a word for a long moment.

"I- I don't know." She sighed, turning slowly around to face the disappointed faces of her teammates. "You heard what she said… she's a member of the White Fang, they're terrorists and criminals and Blake, our teammate, has secretly been affiliated with them this whole time!"

Neither Thistle nor Yang could meet Weiss' spiteful and betrayed eyes, her voice trembled with rage and sadness as all the feelings from that night seemed to rush back to her. They couldn't blame her though, not too much, not after what she had told them about how the White Fang targeted her company and made her home life sound more terrible than they could have known.

"But… maybe we don't know the whole story. She's our friend, she fought with us and hung out with us. We're her teammates and we should at least give her the benefit of the doubt." Thistle's voice slowly grew more and more hard as she glared up at Weiss, her combative nature beginning to get the best of her.

"You heard what she said; "We were just tired of being pushed around." and then she ran off! How much more clear does she need to be!? There's not many other ways to interpret that! Do you even know what the White Fang has done?!" Weiss' eyes narrowed in anger glaring back down at the short redhead, her own stubbornness coming to push against her teammate's.

"Guys, this isn't helping!" Yang stepped between them, giving them both a gentle push on their shoulders. "At the very least we need to find her and hear her out! We're a team, and our teammates is missing and probably scared."

"I'm not going another step with this chick! Blake was right, you're just a spoiled brat! You're just like your dad!" Thistle bared her teeth at Weiss, her eyes burning with rage and her fists trembling.

"You don't know a thing! Don't you dare compare me to him you know nothing about my family!" She snapped, she could feel the cold hilt of Myrtenaster brush against her wrist and for a moment, she almost acted on an impulse to escalate. Yang could only watch helplessly as her team fell apart.

"I know you're both taking out your issues on someone else!" She screamed, before turning away from her teammates. "I not spending another second with her. I'll find Blake myself!"

Without another word, Thistle stormed off, fighting the urge to take her rage out on anything within reach as she left her team behind. Yang's head turned helplessly, looking back and forth at her teammates, feeling absolutely powerless. With a deep, shaky breath, she made her decision, turning back to Weiss expecting to have to deal with her fury before they could make any progress but… it she didn't.

The anger that burned in her eyes was gone as she stared blankly at Thistle as she stomped away, her mouth hung just barely open. Yang felt a spark of pity in her chest as she watched the proud heiress, stunned by her teammates words as though they hit her like a truck. Her eyes glistened but no tears came, only after a long moment did her face soften, her eyes falling back to the ground. With a quivering sigh, she resigned herself to acceptance.

"I'm a terrible leader…"

* * *

Sun sat awkwardly at the table, a cup of tea grasped gently in his prehensile tail. He looked uncomfortably back and forth between his small cup, and the quiet can faunus named Blake that sat silently across from him. He began to wonder if she'd ever open up to him when she looked up at him, her amber eyes soft but focused.

"So… you want to know more about me?" She looked hesitant after she spoke but seemed want to tell her story. Her face becoming sharply annoyed as Sun joked with her, teasing her about her small talk and weird looks, whatever that meant.

"Yeah, like that." He snickered.

"Have you ever heard of the White Fang?"

"Of course, I doubt there's a faunus alive who doesn't know about 'em. Bunch of self-righteous thugs if you ask me!" He gave an angry, bitter huff, flaring his nostril. Blake could understand his feelings. With what the white fang had become, it was just another burdensome stereotype that the faunus had to live with.

"Well… I was once a member." Her voice was soft and calm, a stark contrast to her companion's ractions as Sun nearly fell out of his chair and spit out his drink, shock and disbelief poured from his wide blue eyes.

"It's… complicated." She sighed as she calmly began to explain the story and of the White Fang and, consequently… her own story. Ash she spoke, she watched his eyes, his expression ranging from shock to sorrow and empathy and anger. She knew then as she told him about how the movement became violent, that he had be subjected to discrimination because of the association people were making with the radical movement. Blake couldn't help but think with a bitter laugh to herself, that the organization dedicated to helping faunus kind, was only making things worse for them.

"And there you have, I'm a criminal hiding in plain sight, all with the help of a little black bow." She watched Sun, expected shock, revulsion, outrage or simply for him to leave but instead, he just… stared at her, with a complex but sad look.

"I just have one question… have you told your friends?"

Her eyes became wide for a moment before she looked away from him in shame. _I… I should have, or at least, I shouldn't have told them the way that I did. I messed up… again._

* * *

"Stupid Weiss, stupid Blake, stupid White Fang stupid Dust Company!" Thistle growled spitefully under her breath. So much anger overflowed in her small body and she had nothing to do with it except keep walking and muttering to herself like an idiot.

In a fit of anger and frustration she saw an opportunity to take some of it out harmlessly as she saw an empty soda can lying on the sidewalk. With a belligerent grin she lifted her leg backwards, channeling her rage into her foot she she unleashed it. She kicked the can… hard, much harder than she meant to as it zoomed through the air.

She shut her eye tight, just waiting helplessly for it to hit someone. 'Crap! Why do I always do this!' She gritted her teeth as she waited for the inevitable yelp of pain from some unfortunate bystander. However, relief swept over her as, instead of a cry of pain, all she heard was a distinctive metallic clink.

Her eyes fluttering open she was suddenly at once confused and panic stricken as she stared up at a girl with brilliant bright green eyes and a large pink bow adorning her short orange hair. The girl looked down at the can at lay at her feet and then back up to Thistle looking even more confused than her assailant and a little hurt.

"Thistle? Why did you do that?" Her tone remained strangely the same as ever despite the look in her eyes.

"Penny! I- I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I was just… I was really angry and- and, gah! I'm stupid and I'm sorry!" She shut her eyes tight, feeling extremely guilty as admonished herself in her mind.

"Why were you really angry at me Thistle? Did I do something wrong?" Penny tilted her head and leaned forward slightly.

"No! No, it doesn't have anything to do with you. It's just, something happened with my team, and the Weiss was being a pain in the ass and Blake ran off and we're trying to find her but I just couldn't around that prissy heiress so I left to look for her myself and that when I kicked that at you and I'm sorry!" She opened her eyes, looking at the ground with a slight blush on her pale cheeks, feeling more and more stupid with each word she spoke.

"Blake?" Penny blinked curiously. "Oh, you mean that faunus girl!"

"Say what?" Thistle said dumbly as she looked up at her. _How'd she know that?_

"Yes, the faunus girl, with the cat ears!" Penny's bubbly expression returned as she smiled.

"Cat ears?" She looked at her friend, her eyebrow raised for a moment before face grew dumbfounded as the realization hit her. _Oooooh, so that's why she wears that bow…_

"Do you want help in finding your friend?" Penny's smile became more neutral as she tilted her head once more with a look of eagerness in her eyes.

"S-sure? I don't see why not?" Thistle found the strange girl a bit off putting but her warm and genuine personality was just was she felt she needed after dealing with Weiss.

"Fantastic!" She shouted excitedly. "I will not let you down! I will not rest until we find your teammate!"

"Fantastic…" She grumbled, already feeling the girl's over the top energy snuffing out her anger a bit faster than she wanted.

 _Well, with two heads looking, we'll find her faster and I'd like to get to Blake before Weiss does. She needs to know someone is still her friend._

* * *

The sun had long since set and Blake was beginning to feel sleep weigh heavily on her eyelids. She lay flat on the rooftop, her faunus night vision making it easy to see through the darkness. Still, their stakeout had been fruitless for hours. Sun's logic seemed sound at the time, but she hoped that he was wrong.

"Hey did I miss anything? Also, I hope you're hungry, I stole some food for us some food." Sun smiled as he moved his arm a little to show bunch of apples.

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?"

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" He quipped facetiously. Blake was having none of it as she shot him a warning glare.

"Okay, too soon." He resigned as he sat down next to her. "So, any sign of them?"

"Not yet…" Her voice was a strange but subtle mix of worry and hope. "They've unloaded all the cargo but now they're just sitting there."

Suddenly as massive gust of wind slammed into them as the powerful engines of a jet hovered over the roof, a bright light streaming from it as it moved slowly down to the dock, landing with a loud, ground shaking impact.

Blake was wide awake now as adrenaline surged through her veins. Crouching down, she squinted down at the jet as it's door opened and armed masked men filed out in two rows, fanning out around the jet. Suddenly, a voice called out from inside the plane as a well dressed man with a can a bowler hat stepped out, grinning smugly as he ordered the men around.

"It's them… it's the White Fang." Her heart sank, but she forced it back with a deep breath. "Something isn't right though, the White Fang would never take orders from a human, especially not one like him!"

She stood up as she unsheathed her blade, glaring down at Roman Torchwick. Sun stood up behind her with a worried look, but she didn't hesitate as she leaped from the top of the tall building, her feet landing on the ground silently as she sprinted through the darkness.

 _What's going on? Why would members of the White Fang work for scum like Torchwick?! Are they defectors doing it for the money? Or- or is this really something much, much worse. Why would they even need all this dust!? I'll get my answers now!_

Her teeth clenched as she ran out from behind a large stack of shipping crates and Roman came into view, his back was turned. She bolted at him, she knew she could easily get around the men guarding him. Blake raised her blade as rapidly closed the gap between them effortlessly bypassing his men.

In the next instant, as she was only centimeters away from him, a dim flash shined in the darkness in front of her as massive blade swung down between Roman and Blake. Even with her cat like reflexes she couldn't get out of the way unscathed. She threw all her weight backwards and landed painfully on her back.

Her mind was reeling, no one was there just seconds before but now, as she stared up she saw a cloud of rose petals danced in the still night air. Her eyes widened as she looked up at a nightmarish visage, the gigantic blade of the a long scythe stuck into the ground where should would have been if she reacted even a moment later, but that wasn't what shocked her the most.

A small girl in a black hood and jacket stood defiantly between her and Roman, wielding the scythe that almost took her head. The girl's red cape flowed behind her as she looked up at Blake with deathly cold silver eyes that shined in the moonlight.

"N-no… you can't be…" Blake's racing mind came to a grinding halt, unable to comprehend what she knew stood before her. Her next words were barely a whisper in the night as she felt her body grow weak and her throat dried up.

"Ruby…"


	11. Battle At The Docks

"R-Ruby Rose… Is that you?" Blake whispered awestruck as she stared disbelievingly up at the small girl wielding the deadly scythe. She blinked rapidly, hoping that her eyes were simply betraying her, but the hooded, silver eyed figure remained glaring down at her with a chilling glare that made Blake's blood run cold.

 _There's no mistaking it… she's the girl in the pictures and just like Yang described. A master with a scythe, skilled in combat with a Semblance that spawns rose petals in her wake. But… why!?_ Her teeth clamped tightly together, her jaw muscle bulging out above her cheeks as confusion and anger swept over her.

"Ruby, my name is Blake! I'm friends with your sister Yang! We're a team together and Beacon Academy!" She called out as she slowly stood, her weapons still clutched in her hands, but held low as she tried to make herself less threatening, desperate to get through to the girl before her.

"Your sister is worried sick about you, we've been helping her search all over! We all want you to come home! I don't know what Torchwick has told you Ruby, but I swear to you that they are not the good-guys!"

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Ruby closed her eyes and lifted her hand up, pulling her hood back, her black hair flowing as the cool night air caressed it. With a gentle shake of her head she smoothed out the stray strands. Her eyes fluttered open and a gentle, warm smile spread across her face, a smile she directed at the faunus before her. The small girl looked like an ethereal dream as her pale skin and silver eyes glowed in the soft white moonlight.

"I know…" Her smile didn't falter as she effortlessly pulled her scythe from the ground. "Neither am I."

"You're not taking her anywhere. Red's staying with us."

Blake's eyes widened in panic as the large blade lifted like a curtain, revealing Torchwick pointing his cane at her with a dark and menacing look. In the next instant a bright flash shot out from the end of his weapon.

 **Bang!**

An explosion at her feet hurled Blake through the air, the concussive sound ringing deafeningly in her sensitive ears and the shockwave knocking with wind out of her lungs as she slammed down hard into the pavement.

"Blake!" Sun shouted as he jumped down from the tall stack of crates, he feet aimed squarely on Roman as he fell. With a powerful impact all his weighed crashed down, but not on the man who smiled smugly at him, but against the flat of a large blade that shielded him from Sun's attack.

Ruby swung her scythe with all her might, sending the monkey faunus flying through the air into a double flip before landing on his feet and instantly pulling out his staff as the White Fang foot soldiers surrounded him.

"I'll take care of them!" Ruby turned around to Torchwick, her expression making it clear that it wasn't a request. She spun back around, raising her Inferno Crescent up behind her as she rushed forward a the blur.

She watched as Sun easily mowed down grunt after grunt, but she knew that her most immediate concern was the cat faunus that claimed to be connected to her past. She could see the dark figure standing up, her blades ready for Ruby's coming attack.

In a flurry of slashes and parries the two your warriors clashed. Ruby deftly swinging and spinning her massive weapon with an ease to keep up with Blake's warding off every slash and shot as she lashed out with powerful kicks and danced around the faunus' attacks with elegant footwork.

Not a single movement was wasted in Ruby's fighting style as every kick and dodge and step fed her gigantic blade with momentum and each sweeping slash returned that momentum to her body for acrobatic jumps and attacks.

Blake was quickly finding herself overwhelmed, relying on her semblance to blink out of the path of Ruby's devastating scythe. However even with her her semblance allowing her to pop right behind her the girl didn't give an inch, using the blunt butt of her scythe to force her backwards giving her opponent enough time to swing her Scythe back around to to her, and either way she swung it came with a lethal blade, one much, much larger than the other.

Suddenly Ruby saw her chance as Blake was forced backwards by her staggering kick. Spinning her Inferno Crescent she stole its momentum and flipped herself upside down, falling into a handstand as she caught her scythe between her legs. With all her might she spun her body with her hands against the ground while her legs squeezed against her scythe, sending it swinging like a sideways guillotine right at Blake.

Having no time to react any other way to the imminent fatal slash Blake threw herself back just in time as the blade sheared off several hair unfortunate enough to lag behind her body as she fell to the ground, feeling safe in the knowledge that the girl couldn't return to her feet before she could.

A wild and cocksure grin spread across Ruby's lips as she wrapped one leg over the hilt of her weapon and immediately let herself fall, her bodyweight sending the tip of her blade flying downwards and her leg guiding it straight for Blake's chest. A loud, high pitched scream pierced the night as Ruby's blade fell.

 _Well played…_ Ruby thought to herself silently as her scythe cut into a cloud of shadow before digging itself into the ground. In her next breath she rolled backwards narrowly avoiding an attack from the side. Her foot beneath her weapon kicked it up as Blake slashed her sword down, the hilt of Inferno Crescent clashing into it.

Ruby let the impact spin her weapon as she launched herself up from the ground, rose petal streaming out from behind her as she grabbed onto the butt of her scythe, the weight of the blade staying firmly on the ground allowing ruby to swing with it itno a two footed kick that Blake barely avoided.

 _Got you!_ With all her strength she planted her feet firmly on the ground and swung her weapon at Blake, but Just as she moved to what she thought was a safe distance the entire dock lit up as though a bonfire had erupted from Ruby's blade. Blake's eyes grew wide with terror as the inferno rushed towards her.

An explosive fireball consumed Blake, sending her flying back as smoke streamed from her scorched clothes. She came to a hard and sudden stop, her body smashing hard against a metal shipping crate with enough force to warp it. In the next moment, the faunus' limp body fell to the ground. Ruby stood standing with her Inferno Crescent ablaze, her eyes flickering with orange light as she looked down at her fallen opponent with a cold gaze.

 _You shouldn't have tried to come for me. Pass this along to whoever is trying to find me. Tell them I said it loud and clear; You will not take me!_

"Blake!" Sun screamed desperately as he ran towards Ruby, his weapon drawn and his face contorted with rage.

With an unimpressed sigh she stood to face him, waiting absolutely still as his staff came apart into sections, each a powerful and versatile gun. With a powerful swing Sun's gun fell in front of her face.

He fired into thin air as Ruby nimbly twirled around landing behind him with her foot out in front and her knee pressing into the back of his own. With almost no effort she dropped him to the ground with small motion of her leg and swung her flame cloaked weapon over her shoulder.

Casually and without turning to face him, she unleashed a gush of fire from only inches above him. The flames washed out over the ground around her as she stood like something out of a nightmare amidst the blaze. With a wide sweeping swing the fire around her weapon died, returning the blade to normal.

She had won.

"W-wow…" A goofy, excited smile brightened her expression. "My lessons with Neo are really paying off! That was crazy!"

"There'll be plenty of time to gloat after the job is done Red, stay focused." Roman strolled up to her and, despite his words, he was smiling with pride and awe.

"Right! Sorry, kinda was just… wow! Did you see that!? I mean, those two were strong but I was able to beat them both!" Ruby was almost bouncing up and down with amazement and elation as she beamed up at Torchwick.

"It was alright." Roman chuckled patronizingly as he lit a cigar in his mouth. "For a kid anyway."

"I think you're just jealous!" Ruby grinned smugly as she brought her scythe in front of her, the round of the blade resting on the ground as she leaned against the hilt.

"You're getting cocky kid." He smiled grabbing the hilt of her weapon and pulled it towards him just enough to make Ruby lose her balance and nearly topple over as she yelped. "I like that."

"Sir, up on the roof!" One of the White Fang shouted causing Roman and Ruby to turn around.

 _Now what?!_ She whined as they looked up to see two girls standing above them on a warehouse roof. Spotlights shined on two, blasting away the darkness that concealed them.

One girl with red hair held an outwardly curved knife in each hand linked by chains to manacles on her wrists seemingly ready to jump at them at any moment, the other with short orange hair and a large bow who stood at watched with a worried expression.

"Lovely." Roman groaned as he turned back towards Ruby. "You deal with them, we'll be taking off with the dust in two minutes, don't try to win, just keep them busy and get back here, got it!?"

"Yes sir!" She nodded with a determined look in her eyes. _Okay, fighting those other two took up half my dust. I'll need to learn how to handle that better, those fireballs were definitely overkill._

Taking a deep breath Ruby lunged forward with her semblance! As she accelerated she jumped into a spin, swinging her Inferno Crescent until it was directly behind her. With a belligerent battle cry she released a great fireball from her weapon, riding the burning explosion all the way up to the roof, landing in between the two girls with a flourish of her weapon.

 _Just two minutes. After using even more of my dust to get up here, two minutes will be really hard if these two are as strong as the last two._ Without breaking eye contact with the red haired girl in front of her she snuffed out the flames of her weapon. _Okay… I don't need to win, I just need to stall._

"You both should leave." She said softly as she lowered the blade of her scythe to the ground. "I'd rather not hurt you if I don't have to, and you're no match for me."

"After what you did to Blake? Not a chance!" The short girl dual wielding chained knives bared her teeth and took up a fighting stance.

Ruby turned her head around, the other girl with a big green eyes and a bow in her hair looked completely nonplussed, just standing there staring expectantly at her. Neither looked even remotely scared, even after seeing what she could do. _I'm starting to get a bad feeling about these two._

"How is this any of your business? Your friend attacked my friend first, I was just defending him. If you wait till we leave, you can collect your friends and get them medical attention and no one will try to stop you." She dragged her scythe along the ground until the blade was pointing up behind her, with both her hands on the hilt she readied to strike.

"But if you attack, I won't let you get in our way. Just let us go!" Her voice was pleading, trying as hard as she could to de-escalate.

"Alternatively; I kick your ass, kick Torchwick's ass, save my friends and drag you kicking and screaming back to your sister if I have to!" Thistle's voice was dripping with rage as she yelled. Ruby's body relaxed and her head dipped, her bangs obscuring her cold silver eyes.

"Never…" Ruby growled with a deathly chill.

With a defiant cry she reared her scythe back as she charged forward at the Thistle! Raising her blade up to her shoulder she swung down at the girl with a devastating slash. In the next instant her weapon slammed down onto her small knife and then…

 **BANG!**

A concussive shock exploded outward from Thistle's knife, deflecting Ruby's attack with little effort and sending her staggering backwards. Ruby stared at her with doubt and confusion.

 _W-what just happened? An explosion? Was that her weapon or her semblance? Either way, I've got to do something about her before-_

In the next instant she heard something slicing through the air towards her. On instinct she turned sideways, making herself as small a target as possible and holing up her scythe at an angle in front of her.

Two swords whizzed by, one ricocheting off of her weapon with a glancing blow. She turned around to see too many swords to could in the heat of the moment floating behind Penny's back, all pointed at her.

 _Crap, this isn't good! I'm not sure I can fight either of these two… but maybe I can fight both of them!_

With a devilish grin Ruby turned to face Thistle once again and in flash of rose petals she darted forward, landing beside her. She could tell Thistle was taken aback but her sudden appearance. Not giving her opponent a moment to think she flicked the switch on her blade and it was once again consumed by fire.

She swung her scythe towards the girl, intentionally missing with the blade but sending a cloud of flames shooting out at her. Now, she had Thistle on the defensive as she twirled around, positioning the her knife wielding opponent directly between her and Penny.

Unleashing fireball after fireball she pushed her back, twirling and spinning out of the way of each of Thistle's slashes. She loosened her her grip on her weapon and swung it wide behind Thistle and with a jet of fire she heard a yelp as she sandwiched Thistle immediately between Penny and herself.

 _Right where I want you!_

Ruby's scythe released another massive plume of fire, she grabbed on to her weapon as hard as she could as the force of the fire blast threw her backwards. She could feel her flesh almost being sheared from her palms as she hung on for dear life until a heavy weight caught the hook of her scythe.

The momentum of the scythe and the fireball was enough to throw Penny hard against Thistle's back, knocking them both down. Ruby was left panting as the flames died around her Inferno Crescent. She was out of Dust.

To her terror the two girls began to stand, Thistle shaking as her chains extending and her knives dragged along the ground and Penny looking almost unscathed. _I'm out of Dust and that trick won't keep working. If I had more time to figure them out maybe... but, I'm fighting a losing battle here!_

"Red!" Ruby heard a familiar voice call to her as her chest flared with hope. She knew exactly what to do.

With her semblance she jumped from the roof just as a flash of light slammed into the two girls above her. Debris showed over her from the exploded roof as Ruby landed hard on the ground. Her body was shaking as she got up on all fours. Suddenly she heard something hit the ground in front of her. Looking up she saw a gloved hand extended to her. Picking up her weapon that had fallen beside her she took his hand in her own as Roman Torchwick pulled her to her feet.

"You did good kid, it's time to get out of here." Roman released her hand, motioning with his head to the last remaining airship, it's engines on standby, ready to take off at a moment's notice.

"R-right!" Ruby followed him as they ran across the docks. Her scythe folded up before she put it in its holster on her back behind her cape. The weight felt comfortably familiar to her.

"Go now!" He commanded the pilot after he made sure Ruby was onboard.

The jet door pulled closed as Ruby looked down at the scene beneath her with a strange feeling of detachment from the height and distance. She could see the two girls on the roof just recovering from Roman's surprise attack. A small fire still burned on the docks and two young faunus lay unconscious on the ground.

 _I did it…_ She thought, melancholic as she door finally closed. _If Roman hadn't intervened though, I would have lost, and- and they would have taken me away. I have to get stronger. Strong enough to beat my past!_

"Hey, don't look so glum kid!" Roman said cheerfully, giving her a hard pat on the back. "Thanks to you, we managed to get all the dust we could carry! This heist will go down in history, so maybe don't bring down my good mood."

"Sorry!" Ruby blurted out as she turned to him, smiling sheepishly.

"Come on, I've got some business to take care of and I want you to come with me but after that…" He smiled and placed his hand more gently on her shoulder. "We're gonna celebrate like there's no tomorrow!"

"Parties…" Ruby grumbled in displeasure as she walked with him to theirs seats in the jet.

"Live a little kid. Have a few drinks, laugh and enjoy the night, it won't kill you to be sociable." He nudged her with his elbow as they buckled their seatbelts. Ruby's doubt had dissolved as she smiled softly. Contentment and satisfaction filled her heart.

 _There will be plenty of time to get stronger but for now… I'm going home._

* * *

Sirens blared at the docks. Police, paramedics and firefighters all frantically trying to get the situation under control. Yang's heart sank as she walked into the chaos with Weiss at her side looking equally worried. Their expressions turned to terror and heartbreak as two figures came limping out from deeper within the docks.

"Blake! Thistle!" Yang cried as she ran to them, her dread growing as she saw that Blake wasn't limping, but rather her unconscious body was being supported up by Thistle trudged shakily towards them.

Yang grabbed Blake, cradling her limp body in her arms taking the burden away from a very thankful Thistle who immediately collapsed onto a crate that made as convenient as seat as any at the moment.

"W-what happened to you two?" Weiss's eyes were wide with horror and disbelief, her eyes drifting up as she saw the monkey faunus from the other day being carried out by paramedics on a stretcher.

"We heard an explosion and… when we got here, Blake and her friend were already down." Thistle's voice became somber as her gaze fell to the ground.

"Y-yang…" A small, weak voice cracked as Blake awoke in Yang's arms. "Ruby… your sister, it was her."

"Short black hair with red tips, silver eyes…" Blake's body convulsed painfully as she coughed. Yang could only stare down at her teammate, her mouth agape and lilac eyes darkened with pain and denial.

"It's true… she attacked Blake and Sun, put them both down and then she attacked me and Penny. It was definitely her, the way she fought with that scythe was like nothing else I've ever seen before." A tinge of anger embittered her voice.

"W-wait, a scythe? But, I have Ruby's scythe! It's under my bed back at Beacon! It couldn't have been her! It couldn't have been…" Yang felt her body go weak and numb, her legs buckled, collapsing to her knees while tightly clutching Blake tight against her chest to keep her from falling.

 _They must be wrong, they have to be! Ruby, she wouldn't do this, she wouldn't work with Torchwick, she wouldn't hurt people… she wouldn't hurt my friends. She would- she could come home!_ Her jaw clenched tight and Blake could feel her whole body trembling. _They have to be wrong!_

"Rose petals…" Thistle said softly, her eyes still fixed on the ground beneath her. Everyone at once turned to look at her, the small girl's expression was a pitiful mix of frustration and hopelessness. "When she moved fast, rose petals would come out of nowhere from behind her."

"T-that's impossible… that's my sister's semblance." Yang whispered numbly.

"It was her Yang… I'm certain of it. She was working with Torchwick, protecting him. I'm so sorry…" Blake's voice quivered as she saw a look on her teammate's face that could only be described as broken.

Suddenly, Blake felt a cool hand grasp hers and she looked over to see her leader's big, pale blue eyes staring into her own with regret and sorrow.

"Blake… I'm sorry." Weiss's eyes pooled with tears. "None of this would have happened if I- if I had just been less like my father. I was taking my biases, my past out on you… on all faunus. I failed as a leader. You've never given us a reason to not trust you... please, can you forgive me?"

"Weiss…" Blake was dumbstruck for a long moment as she felt her teammates holding her and then, a pang of guilt bit into her chest. "I- I'm sorry too. I should have told you, I shouldn't have hidden who I really am from you. I need you to know, I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. If you'd let me… I'd like to tell you all everything."

"We'd like that… and we'll listen." Weiss turned her attention back to the devastated Yang, feeling a lot less certain how to help her hurting teammate.

With nothing else she could think of, Weiss knelt down and placed her hand on Yang's shoulder, doing the only thing she was capable of doing… just being there. Thistle limped over to them and collapsed unceremoniously on the opposite side of Yang and rested her forehead against her firm shoulder.

Blake could feel tears falling down on her from Yang's eyes, she didn't make a sound, she just… cried. Taking a deep breath, Blake pressed her head gently against Yang's belly. The team sat in silence as they all did what they could to comfort Yang… and each other.

 _Ruby… why haven't you come home?_

* * *

Torchwick and Ruby walked quietly side by side into a dilapidated, unassuming warehouse. The many shipping containers full of Schnee Dust Company Dust lined the dingy walls. The only other outstanding feature of the otherwise barren room was a small table.

Ruby felt at once nervous and excited. This was the first time Roman had brought her along on business, but something had him on edge, she could tell. _Who are we meeting that would make him scared?_

Suddenly, she heard the sound of heels clicking against the ground, followed closely by two other sets of footsteps. Ruby and Roman both turned around to see a familiar face and suddenly, she understood why he was nervous too.

"You've done well Roman. I'm impressed." Cinder said softly as she stepped out of the shadows followed by two kids not that much older than Ruby.

"Yeah, thanks to Red here, not those incompetent muts you from the White Fang you had me working with." He smiled as he leaned back against the table with his arms folded over his chest.

"Really now?" Cinder said as she looked down at the small girl.

"Come here child" Her voice was soft but held a darkness that made Ruby want to back away. Still, she didn't want to make Roman look bad and she didn't sense any hostility in the woman so tepidly, she stepped forward.

Cinder's hand gently touched her head, running her caressing Ruby's soft, short hair. Her hand slowly descended down her blushing cheek. As she reached her jaw Cinder gently raised Ruby's head with her chin, looking down at her with a soft but malevolent smile, still, Ruby could swear she saw, just for a moment, a spark of pride in her warm amber eyes.

"So, Roman's instincts were good for once. I'm pleased." She slowly withdrew her hand from under Ruby's chin. "We have big plans for the both of you… do keep up the good work."


	12. Complicated

"Excuse me, do you think you could help us find this address?" Emerald smiled amiably at the old shop keeper.

Ruby stood a short distance away, out of sight as she listened to the exchange. She looked up at the tall, silver haired boy leaning against a beside her. She still wasn't sure to make of all of this, but she couldn't help but feel her life was getting a lot more complicated. Ruby's attention was stolen as a head of mint green hair popped up from around the corner.

"I knew you were lost." Mercury deadpanned. Ruby couldn't help but let out a brief snort of laughter.

"Ruby, I don't want to hear it from you." She glared at the small girl. "If you had your memories I wouldn't even have to be asking weird old men for directions."

"And as for you, Mercury," She pulled out a wallet and waved it at his face. "I will seriously pay you to shut up."

"Did you just steal that?" Ruby asked in a hushed, shy voice. "You know Cinder said we're supposed to be keeping a low profile…"

"What are you gonna do? Tattle?" She narrowed her eyes at Ruby.

"She has a point." He shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Hey, you were just as into this idea as I am so you don't get to talk." Emerald growled, becoming increasingly annoyed.

"M-maybe we shouldn't be doing this. I mean, I know it needs to be done but-" Ruby's nervous stammering was interrupted as a shadow was cast over her.

Emerald stood above her with a devious grin as she stepped closer and closer to Ruby until she her back hit the wall. Looming over the small girl Emerald put her hand up against the wall and leaned in just a little closer. Ruby looked pleadingly at Mercury who just stood there looking bored and disinterested.

"For some unfathomable reason, you're loyal to Roman Torchwick right?" Her red eyes sparkled as she looked expectantly at the flustered and nervous girl beneath her who only gave a tiny nod in response.

"Well then, you should be on board for this too. He's screwed up not dealing with this and he's going to get it from Cinder if it isn't dealt with soon, so you're just helping him clean up his mess. I mean, that is your job right?" With a smug voice and a satisfied smile, she stepped back, her gaze still fixed directly in front of her.

Ruby's expression cooled, she took a defiant step forward and looked up with a calm but serious stare. For a moment, even Emerald seemed taken aback by her sudden apparent courage and certainty.

"Yeah… you're right. That is my job." She tilted her head slightly with a barely noticeable grin. "And I'm loyal to Torchwick because he… he's someone that saw something in me when I had nothing and gave me a chance."

Her sincerity seemed to catch bother of her new companions off guard as Mercury turned his head from his position on the wall, his expression neutral but his eyes flickered with a sort of empathy Ruby did not expect. Her eyes drifted back to Emerald, even more surprised to see her wearing a gentle but true smile.

"Well then," Emerald took her hard stolen Lien and dropped the cleaned out wallet back on the ground before slowly walking away with her hands behind her head. "You should be ready to do what needs to be done. Cinder won't be happy with him if he fails this one."

With a slight jerk of her head she signaled them to follow. Emerald and Mercury walked side by side while Ruby trailed a ways behind, her conviction faltering as they made their way to their target.

"Maybe we didn't give Torchwick enough credit…" Mercury quietly mused. Emerald's head whipped around with appalled disbelief.

"You're not seriously comparing that slime ball to Cinder are you?!"

"Hey, you heard what she said. Tell me that doesn't sound familiar." His eyes darkened with somber, bitter nostalgia, his thoughts drifting back, both behind him to the small girl in the black hood and to his own past.

"Whatever! There's just… no comparison." Emerald looked down to her side, the certainty in her voice dissolving. _Saw something in you when you had nothing huh?_

Lagging shortly behind them, Ruby had retreated into her mind, oblivious to the conversation going on in front of her. Mired in her thoughts, she walked slowly and hesitantly behind her new associates.

 _Roman needs this to be done, I don't want him to end up on Cinder's bad side. He's been so busy with gathering as much Dust as we can store. I- I have to do this, I just have to be there, just in case. Mercury and Emerald seem so calm and laid back. I have no doubt that they're really strong. I don't want them looking down on me, I'm not weak… I will do what's necessary._


	13. First Blood

The trio rounded the corner, the foot traffic thinned more and more as they neared the small book shop, which Ruby was grateful for. She was growing increasingly restless with anxiety as their destination came into view. For some reason, Inferno Crescent felt heavier than usual on her back.

Mercury and Emerald strode confidently and casually in, as though nothing were about to happen. She felt a cloud of dread building in her chest but also… a small spark of anxious excitement as followed them inside, gently closing the door behind her.

Without pause or hesitation, Emerald walked right up to the front counter with an contented smirk. Meanwhile Ruby backed nervously to the window, hiding behind her taller teammate while he pursued a bookshelf seeming entirely nonplussed.

It was all the small girl could do to keep her expression neutral as she tried to inconspicuously look between Emerald and the silhouettes walking by just outside the window. Her jaw clenched down tight as she glanced back up at her silver haired associate, envy and disappointment flared biting at her heart.

 _I wonder… if they felt anything like this, their first time._ She took a small but anxious breath, trying in vain to quell the subtle trembling of her small hands. _I- I'm not actually doing anything, so why do I feel like this?! I'm just here to watch, just in case, making sure he doesn't escape. Those two will be the ones to…_

A sudden, sharp ringing sounded from the desk. Ruby's heart began to race as she saw a figure carrying carrying an unwieldy mass of stuff through the glass on the doors behind the counter.

"Be right there!" The man called out as he heard the ring. A large man back out through the doors, his hands full with stacks of books. "Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun!"

"How may I…" His amiable expression and tone crumbled as he saw the red eyed girl before him. His eyes became sharp as he looked around the room, first at the tall boy wearing grey and black and then his eyes lingered over the small nervous girl by the door. Ruby could tell by the look in his eyes… he knew what was coming.

"How may I help you?" Tukson's voice rebounded, gaining back its approachable tone as he brought his eyes back to the mint haired girl looking expectantly at him.

"Just browsing." Mercury shrugged as he went back to looking at a random book he had picked up.

"Actually, I was wondering if you have any copies of the Thief and the Butcher?" Emerald smiled, leaning forward against the counter.

"Yes, we do." His unchanging pleasant demeanor made Ruby uneasy.

"That's great. What about Violet's garden, in paperback?"

"He's got it." Mercury picked up the book in question. "Hardcover too. Eh, no pictures... Hey, do you have any comics?"

Ruby could feel the tension in the room steadily rising, but she was thankful for Mercury's dry humor, easing the tightness she felt in her chest. Her body relaxed and the quaking her her hands ebbed as she took deep but quiet breaths.

"Near the front." The man smiled even as Mercury haphazardly dropped the book he had been holding.

"Alright, what about… The Third Crusade?" Her big red eyes almost sparkled as she looked up at him awaiting another positive answer.

Suddenly, Ruby could almost hear the tension in the room spike immensely, she felt as though the entire room might erupt from the forces pulling the four of them dangerously close to the snapping point at any moment. Her heart was pounding and her breaths drew as small as possible, as though her very breath could set off the powder keg she felt she was standing on.

"I… I don't believe we carry that one." His pleasant demeanor was rapidly degenerating, his eyes shifting nervously.

"Oh…" Mercury said as he loudly slammed shut another book.

"You're Tukson right?" Emerald leaned in, her approachable tone slowly darkening with disappointment and excitement as she leaned further against the counter.

"Y-yes, I am."

"So this is your shop, which means you're the one who came up with that catchphrase right? Tell me, what was it again?" She smiled, but her face seemed like that of a predator eager to pounce… they both did. Ruby felt a pang shame as she cowered in the back of the store alone.

"Tukson's book trade… home to every book under the sun…" Tukson shrugged.

"Except for Third Crusade." Mercury said accusingly as he took a step closer.

"It's just a catchphrase…"

"It's false advertising!" Mercury's grey eyes narrowed as she shouted indignantly.

For the briefest of moments a smile formed from Ruby's lips, brightening her face, feeling at ease once again from Mercury's dark, deadpan humor.

"You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep… Tukson." Emerald's voice became dark and threatening.

 _This is it…_ Ruby felt immense apprehension, but closed her eyes and with a deep breath she steeled herself. Her eyes shut softly as she reached beside her. It only took her a second to find the light switches even with her eyes closed. One after the other she ran her fingers down the panels, the lights growing dimmer and dimmer as the windows became blackened until she reached the final one.

She opened her eyes. Gone was the anxiety stricken little girl as her silver eyes were cooled to a deadly chill, her face nearly expressionless. _This needs to happen. He's a threat to our organization, he's a threat to Roman. I- I'm just glad Mercury and Emerald are here… I don't think I could do what they're about to do._

"You're planning on leaving. Running all the way to Vacuo. Your brothers in the White Fang wouldn't be happy to hear that" She glared at him. "And neither are we. You know who we are, don't you?"

"Yes…" Tukson's voice was cold a flat now as he spoke in one word answers.

"And you know why we're here?"

"Yes." Tuckson narrowed eyes as her voice became more threatening.

Ruby watched reluctantly as Mercury left her standing alone against the wall as he joined Emerald by the desk, his expression cool but his eyes sharp and ready. Gritting her teeth, Ruby forced herself back from the wall, her icy gaze bouncing between the three gathered at the back of the store.

"So, are you going to fight back?" Emerald grinned, as though daring him to try. The room fell silent in a moment that seemed to stretch on for minutes as Tukson glared at them. Ruby could feel it, the powder keg was about to explode.

"Yes!" With a defiant snarl he jumped on top of the counter, claws extended from the ends of his nails ready to slash into the flesh of his tormentors. With teeth bared he readied to pounce, looking very much like a ferocious animal.

Ruby's heart skipped a beat as she found herself staring into the savage eyes of the faunus. Before either could react he lunged forward, bypassing Emerald and Mercury and landing on the bookshelf beside them his gaze still locked onto the small hooded girl as he lunged forward one last time, claws ready to tear into her. Ruby's eyes became wide with fear and her instincts took over.

A flash of silver and then… a dull thump. That's all Ruby could perceive in the moment before Tukson would have ripped her to shreds.

The trembling girl stood, her scythe drawn, the massive blade resting on the floor beside her leading from it, a trail of crimson red forming an arc around her. Her mouth was dry, she felt unbearably hot and freezing cold at once as waves of nausea swept over her. None of this was apparent on her blank face as she stared down numbly at the scene before her.

Tuckson, or rather, his body, lay limp on the ground, a pool of blood gushing from his abdomen. Ruby watched as he made on last pathetic gurgling sound, she could see the lights as the were snuffed out from his eyes. The air was saturated with an acrid, metallic scent.

"Wow, you sure made a mess." Emerald walked up them and squatted over the body. "I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that thing."

"Emerald… shut up." Mercury's voice was cold but solemn as he stared at Ruby with a bleak but sorrowful expression, his eyes showed the faintest glimmer of empathy as he saw the girl who's face looked deathly pale, her eyes fixed firmly down at her work.

"What?! I was just… oh." Emerald trailed off as she saw in Ruby the same thing that Mercury had seen. Her expression softened as she looked from the body and back to the girl. "It was your first time… wasn't it?"

Ruby could barely hear what they were saying, she could barely feel anything. Her mind stopped, everything felt like it was shutting down as the pool of blood just grew until it began to wash over the bottom of her shoes. Her weapon bathed in crimson and the image before her burning itself into her mind, all she could do was think the same words over and over again.

 _I killed him… I killed him._


	14. Love

It was already dark by the time the trio made it back to the warehouses. It was busy, far more so that it had been in the recent days. White Fang foot soldiers were busily loading and unloading jets with large crates.

Emerald took up the front, while Mercury hung back, slowing his pace to match with the small girl behind them, her black hood raised and her head tilted down. She hadn't spoken so much as a word since… since they left Tukson's Book Trade.

"Hey Ruby…" Mercury looked down at her, he couldn't see her eyes but he didn't have to, he could tell she was shaken. "You know, you did what you had to do. He was a rat, he attacked you. He had it coming so… I guess, lighten up."

"Mercury, stop coddling her." Emerald spun around, glaring at him admonishingly. "If she wants to be part of our world, if Torchwick is as important to her as she says he is, then she's going to have to kill people, this won't be the last, she might as well accept it now."

"Yeah, because you handled your first time like a professional sociopath." He huffed, rolling his eyes at her before turning his attention back to the girl beside him.

"Thank you Mercury…" Ruby's voice was barely a strained whisper as she took her hood off, the cool night breeze caressing her short hair. "But I'm fine. I'm just… I just need some rest."

Without another word, she walked ahead, her cape flowing in the gentle wind as she left her two teammates behind. They stood and watched as Ruby walked into the warehouse their eyes soft with worry and empathy.

"Well that was tact." Mercury chided his partner.

"She doesn't need tact, she needs to come to grips with what this life is really about. It's not fun and games. There's going to be more bloodshed in her future and she's going to need to kill more." Emerald's gaze fell solemnly to the ground. "You're soft on her, and it's sweet but, she needs to come to terms with it."

"I know… you're right but I just-" He came to an abrupt stop as an elbow jammed into his ribs.

"Still, it's cute to see you act like anything other than a smart-ass." She giggled before following Ruby into the warehouse, and exasperated Mercury following close behind.

As the downcast team entered the busy, rundown building, they were greeted by the sight of Roman Torchwick hunched over a table, very invested in the papers strewn about before him. Ruby stood close by, she hadn't made a sound and it seemed as though Torchwick didn't even notice her approach. Mercury could tell by her eyes that she was looking to him, her large silver eyes seeming to ask a question, but he couldn't fathom what it might be, and doubted Torchwick had the answer she was seeking.

Hearing their approach Roman finally pulled his attention away from his work, a cigar burning away in his mouth. As he turned, his eyes landed on Ruby, his expression became stark with worry and a flash of anger burned through his eyes as for only a moment as he turned to the Emerald and Mercury.

"So, I see you kids had a play date." His eyes glanced to the girl by his side. "Where'd you go?"

"We were cleaning up your mess!" Emerald glared back defiantly.

"What do you mean?" Roman growled darkly, tapping his cane against the ground as he stared down into her deep red eyes. "If you and double amputee here don't tell me where you were I swear I'll-"

"You'll do what, Roman?" All heads turned up to see Cinder standing on a platform above them. She stepped forward, her heels clicking loudly against the floor as she descended on the elevator, stepping off and walking between Emerald and Mercury.

"Your two punks here are sticking their nose into my business and dragging my people into it. Maybe you should have a talk with them about keeping their noses out of other people's business." He stepped forward to meet Cinder, staring down her malevolent amber eyes.

"Maybe if you handled your business better, we wouldn't have had to deal with it. I mean, he was about to run all the way to Vacuo." Emerald grinned smugly.

"Roman, I thought you said you take care of that?" Cinder looked at him with her unwavering and unnerving smile, but the disappointment in her voice sent a small chill down Ruby's spine.

"Well…" He gestured around the busy room. "If you haven't noticed, I've been busy stealing every spec of Dust in Vale. I had that little problem taken care of."

"Well he was about to run, so we killed the rat!" Emerald's eyes lit up and she smiled triumphantly, but her expression was washed away with a wave of sadness and pity as her eyes fell on Ruby. The small girl looked at though she'd seen a ghost the moment she mentioned killing him, as if she were right back there in that shop.

"Or rather… Ruby killed him." She said softly, averting her eyes from the large silver eyes that suddenly met hers, pleading with her to stop.

"Really?" Roman and Cinder both said in unison as they did a one-eighty to look at the devastated looking child beside them. It was the first time Ruby had seen Cinder's collected demeanor falter, her eyebrows raising in surprise as Roman dropped his cigar on the floor.

"I- I was just trying to help… I knew if he ran, it would be a problem for you." She looked up at Torchwick, her eyes glistening with tears, but not a drop fell as she forced herself to hold it together.

"Well… I told you two to keep your hands clean while you're here but if she was really the one who killed him, then all should be fine." After a few taken aback blinks Cinder's normal, dark persona returned.

"I- I think I'm going to get some rest… if that's okay." Ruby barely whispered. She didn't wait to be excused as she walked lifelessly past them, making her way to a set of narrow stairs.

"Red, wait for me at our spot, I'll be up there soon. That's not a request. Go." Roman commanded. For a brief moment, she seemed to hesitate at the first step but in the end, she obeyed and turned around down a dark hallway, her cape was the last the saw of her before she disappeared.

"Now…" Roman turned back to Cinder. "If we're all done here, I've got something else to deal with now thanks to your two pint sized pains in my ass."

"Oh Roman, you care for the girl. How… adorable." Cinder smiled, her eyes flashing with the devious cunning of a predator.

"I spent a lot of money on her. If those two ruined her so she can't fight, you're reimbursing me for her weapon." Roman turned without another word, snuffing his still burning cigar under foot before walking to the hallway that Ruby had gone down only moments early.

"Oh, and Roman, while you comfort your pet, have the White Fang start moving the Dust to our secondary location, we no longer need more dust." Her chilling smile grew as she turned away from him and began walking away.

"We're proceeding to phase two."

* * *

Ruby stood at the edge of the rooftop. She'd only been up here once before with Torchwick, but even in her current state, she felt something wondrous about it, being able to look over the dilapidated building and look up to the endless sky.

Behind her, she could hear the only door to the roof slowly creak open. She didn't turn, she knew who it was and for once… she didn't want to see him.

"So Red… you did it huh? Your first time taking someone's life." Roman walked up beside her, both standing only inches from the edge of sizable fall. "I'm no good at this kid, I'm really not but… are you okay?"

"I'm… not sure." Her voice was soft but she sounded so broken and lost, Roman could almost feel something squeezing at his long since frozen heart.

"Well, that's a start." He sighed, running his fingers up his face and through his bangs. "Look, if you want someone to hold your hand through this, I'm not the right person to ask. I've never done this before and-"

"Torchwick…" Ruby asked without looking away from her view of the city and the sky, quietly cutting him off as he was struggling through his speech. "You've killed people… haven't you?"

"You really want to know?" He took a long deep breath, looking up at the sky wistfully as he suddenly found himself immensely craving another cigar. "Yes, I have, I've even delighted in killing. Most of the time, I order someone else to do the dirty work but I've killed people with my own hands before."

"Y-your first time… what was it? What happened?" Finally, Ruby turned to face, her eyes glistening in the moonlight with pain and longing and the the red gems dangling from her black choker chimed in the soft wind, the only other sound in the long moment of silence after she spoke.

"The first time I took someone's life… it wasn't in some glorious batter or for a noble cause, it was just… I was asked to. I wasn't much older than you at the time. I was in a local gang, I was new, but they asked me to prove myself, they told me to kill a kid from another rival gang. Even then I knew, eventually, I could be running the show and handing down orders, but first… I'd have to do what I was told… so I did."

"So... " He faced her, his typical suave grin seeming to light up his face… but Ruby could see it, a deep, deep sadness in his eyes that tore her away from herself and filled her with a desire to hold him to make the apparent pain leave him… but she didn't.

"Are you thinking about leaving our side? Try to return to your old life now knowing you work for murderers and sociopaths?"

"No." Ruby replied simply and immediately, her voice cold and devoid of feeling, as most of her words had been.

"Really?" His smiled began to fade to a more serious expression. "Red, if you stay… there will come a time when I'll ask you to kill people, maybe what I'll ask you to do will lead to a lot of people dying. The people you'll kill… they might not even be a threat to us."

"I'll be okay… I'll do whatever you need me to do. I'll be okay…" Despite her words, her head sunk down and her eyes and expression were just nothing, nothing but… bleak.

"Red…" Ruby felt a warm but firm hand land on her shoulder. "If this is the life you want, you're going to have to find a way to be okay with yourself after. There's no easy way to do that and there's no trick to it. What you need probably isn't going to be what I needed. That said, I know what you're doing now, and it's not going to help."

"Thank you…" Nothing changed, Ruby's normal warmth and light was eclipsed by the shadow of the ghost that seemed to be following her. The energy he had come to grow… fond of, it was buried beneath layers of ice that she herself built up. He felt helpless and enraged… there was nothing he could do for her now.

"Get some rest Ruby… that's a good place to start." He said softly as he withdrew his hand. Without another word, he watched the small girl walk away and as the door closed quietly behind her, he could only rage at his ineptitude.

 _I can lie, cheat, steal and kill. I'm the best at what I do but none of that mattered just then. When did my life get like this? Stupid question… more like, why am I letting her get to me like this?_

* * *

 _I'm cold…_ The words pierced the otherwise impenetrable storm of thoughts and feelings raging through her mind as she stared up at her ceiling from her bed. Her entire body and mind felt weak, even her soul felt as though it were somehow exhausted.

Suddenly, a knocking at her door shook her from her sinking further into her own mind, mired in darkness. She turned her head to the source of the sound, imagining who it could be. Her body protested the very notion of moving as she thought about getting up. With a weak shrug, she called out.

"Who is it?"

… No response. After a short pause, the knocking returned.

A look of annoyance flashed across her face as she summoned all her strength to force herself out of her bed. Shakily, she walked over to her door. _I hope it's not Torchwick, I- I can't do this with him, I just can't. I just need to be alone… but who else would it be?_ With a reluctant sigh, she turned the doorknob and opened the door.

"N-Neo!?" Ruby's expression brightened for a moment before confusion set in as she stared down at the petite woman with pink and brown hair, her eyes were strange mix of conviction and… warmth.

"Neo… did Torchwick send you? I'm fine, I swear. I just need to-" Neo didn't let Ruby finish her thought before she pushed her way into her room and made her way directly to the bed. She glared at Ruby commandingly as she pointed at the bed with a small stomp of her foot.

Ruby's lips parted, ready to protest, to tell her to leave and just… let her be. However, as she looked into her stern pink and brown eyes as found a deep worry, almost pleading with her to just do what she asked… and Ruby knew she wouldn't refuse. A small but frustrated sigh left her lips and she followed Neo to her bed.

With a small contented smile, she patted down near the foot of Ruby's bed. Hesitantly, Ruby followed her directions. As she sat down on the soft bed she felt her eyes grow heavy, but as soon as her closed for more than a moment they shot open, her pupils wide and her expression stressed and broken.

"I- I promise I'm fine. I'm thankful for what you're doing but I-" She couldn't finish the next word as she felt herself being pulled down fast!

She fell to her side, propelled by a force pulling her by the side her head, her weak body helpless against the force. She closed her her eyes and the room turned into a blur. Suddenly, she stopped, landing on something soft… and warm. Blinking in confusion, her exhausted mind to get an idea of what just happened. Then, she turned her head up…

Neo looked down at her from above with a warm, gentle smile and glistening eyes. Ruby could feel her fingers running softly through her short hair, stroking her as she squeezed the small girl on top of her lap closer with her other arm.

Ruby felt stunned, everything seemed to be blown away, a feeling of safety and a steady, rhythmic heartbeat that she could hear with her ear pressed against Neo's stomach. She stared up, her wide silver eyes blank but as the gentle touches and comfortable warmth swept over her… she fell apart.

Tears streamed from Ruby's eyes without, her body trembled intensely as she buried her head between Neo's lap and stomach and she just… cried. Uncontrollable sobbing overtook her as she just cried, and cried, wrapping her arms around Neo who's smile only grew warmer and more gentle as she closed her eyes and held the small, vulnerable girl in her even tighter and rubbed her head in bigger but still soft strokes.

Slowly, Ruby's sobs grew further and further apart. Neo could feel her tears soaking through her clothes, but she didn't care one bit as she gently rubbed her back. Finally, her trembling ebbed and her small body went limp as she drifted off to sleep, cradled in Neo's lap.


	15. Team Tension

"So, you're leaving for Beacon Academy today?" Ruby stood before her two temporary teammates, the White Fang around busily moving all the stolen dust in preparation for phase two.

"Yep, settling into our new dorm then checking the… competition." Emerald grinned excitedly, meanwhile Mercury's blase expression was unchanged.

"Lucky." Ruby pouted, folding her arms over her chest. "After a few meetings and a White Fang rally we'll be off to our compound in Mountain Glenn."

"Well you sound back to you old self. Found a way to deal with it?" Mercury chimed in, his expression softening as he looked down at the small hooded girl who's eyes became downcast at the mention of what she had done.

"I'm… not sure. I think I dealt with it the best way I could this time, thanks to Neo, but I'm not sure about the future. I know I'll do what it takes though." The dejection in her eyes were burned away with fiery conviction as she smiled up confidently at Emerald and Mercury. "I think I'll be alright."

"That's good to hear kid." Emerald gave a soft smile, her red eyes glimmering with something Ruby couldn't quite pin down, somewhere between pride and nostalgia. She threw her arms behind her head and looked up to the sky. "Too bad you'll be missing the dance, it's going to be… eventful."

"Wait, a dance? Like, with a bunch of people, music, fancy clothes and dancing?" Ruby's face contorted into a grimace.

"Yeah, that's usually what happens at dances." Emerald chuckled.

"Bleh, suddenly being surrounded by hostile Grimm in an abandoned underground city that was the site of thousands of deaths filled with soldiers and explosives doesn't sound so bad." Ruby's shoulders fell as she gave an exasperated sigh while Emerald and Mercury could barely stifle their laughter.

"Well, try not to get too bored, can't have you going soft." Emerald gave Ruby a playful shove on her shoulder as she started walking away with Mercury close behind.

"I won't! I'll see you guys around. Have fun at your dance!" She called out over the bustle of the foot soldiers moving the Dust.

"We will. Have fun in your cave." Mercury said in a snarky tone as he turned his head back to her.

"I'll try…" Ruby grumbled in frustration as she watched her new friends leave to do their part of the mission. She felt a small, barely noticeable pain in her heart as left.

 _I hope I get to spend more time with them soon. Aside from… Tukson, I had fun with them yesterday. They seem really strong, but I think they're warming up to me, even Emerald._

"Well, I'll just have to keep doing my best for Roman and Cinder, everything else will fall into place." Her eyes burning with determination, Ruby turned and walked away with a sense of certainty and strength.

 _I'm going to do my best and get stronger to help Roman, you two had better do your best on your end. Show them what we can do!_

* * *

The library was quiet, teams JNPR and WYBT sat at adjacent tables, each member involved in their own activities. Jaune flipped through the pages of a comic book, procrastinating on his studies.

Weiss diligently read through her notes, but even in the normally tranquil atmosphere of the library, she could barely focus. She could feel the stress and emotional weight resting heavily on two of her teammates and she fully understood why.

After that night at the docs, none of them had been quite the same, but Yang and Blake had taken it the hardest. She couldn't blame them. With both the White Fang, the organization Blake was affiliated with for years and Ruby, Yang's little sister both seeming to work for the known criminal Roman Torchwick, they had it the worst.

To be sure, Thistle wasn't have the best time either. The flame haired girl with the side braid and gentle purple eyes normally seemed bubbly and eccentric, but most didn't know she was a strong and proud fighter with a quick temper. Being bested so easily by Ruby had left her in a bad way.

 _And it's my job as leader to try to… pull everyone back together._ She flipped another page her note book, her cool blue eyes blankly scanning over the words, barely absorbing anything from them as the metaphorical dark cloud of responsibility hung over her head. With a heavy sigh she let her head fall into her notebook, the cool dry pages felt good against her skin. _But how?_

"Weiss, is everything alright?"

Weiss' head shot up from her book, her eyes wide she she frantically tried to banish her troubled expression. Turning her head to her side, Weiss saw the short girl with red hair staring up at her with worry in her light purple eyes.

"I- I'm fine!" She smiled brightly. Normally she was a decent liar, but for some reason she found lying to Thistle exceptionally difficult.

"Hey…" Thistle scooted her chair a few inches closer to her leader and leaned in close, speaking in a hushed whisper so that their teammates across the table couldn't hear them. "Are you stressing out over that night at the docks?"

"What? No no, I'm fine, it's just… everyone is really taking it hard especially…" She trailed off as she looked up. Blake halfheartedly reading through a book and Yang struggling to stay away while reading over her homework, her restless nights beginning to catch up with her. She closed her eyes a let out a soft, exhausted breath.

"I just don't know what to do." Weiss quietly dropped her book and put her hands over her eyes. It was clear the stress of holding it together was getting to her.

"Well, relaxing is a good place to start." Thistle put her small hand gently on Weiss' shoulder, softly rubbing it with her thumb in small circles. She could feel her leader's tension easing as her hands fell back to the table and she leaned back against her chair with her head tilted up to the ceiling.

"How am I supposed to relax?" She turned to Thistle, her big eyes begging her for some kind of answer. It was only as she stared down at her that Thistle noticed how tired and pale she looked. "Yang's little sister and Blake's former organization are both working for that scoundrel Torchwick and we have no idea why!"

It only took her a moment to realize she lost control that she shouted out loud about Ruby and the White Fang for the who Library to hear. Dread and apprehension swept over her as she turned her head towards her other two teammates, finding them now looking very much alert as they stared at her with wide, hurt eyes. Behind them she caught the worried glances of team JNPR.

"I think… it's time for a team meeting." Weiss sighed, her stress now at an all time high. _How can I possibly deal with this?_

* * *

"Way to shout our secrets to the entire library Weiss." Yang growled as she slammed their dorm room door behind her. The whole team was there, Blake and Yang standing defensively by the door with anger burning in their eyes, Thistle stood in the middle looking back and forth from them to Weiss who leaned against the wall furthest from the door, her head low and her eyes glued to the floor.

"Yeah, nice going. Why don't you just announce to everyone that I'm a faunus while you're at it." Blake hissed bitterly.

"Wait! Please, just- just hear her out okay!" Thistle stepped between Blake and Weiss protectively.

"What's there to hear?! She just screamed to everyone that my little sister is a criminal! What happens if the teachers get wind of that?! What if they send the police after her?! We don't know anything Weiss but you just- you just broadcast it to a bunch of students!" Yang's aura flared and her eyes were burning red with rage, looking ready to attack their leader at the drop of a pin.

Thistle's eyes narrowed as she took up a defensive pose. She felt her own anger boiling up inside her as she readied to face off against her fearsome teammate, the tension in the room was palpable. Weiss watched in helpless horror as her team was about ready to descend into an all out brawl, all because of her. Her mind raced to do something, anything to stop the impending destructive clash of her two most volatile teammates, but it was a gentle touch from Blake that deescalated things.

"Yang… I'm sorry. What Weiss did was wrong and way out of line but I was there, there was no mistaking it, not with my night vision. It was definitely your sister, and she flat out said she was one of the bad guys just before she attacked me."

"Blake… you can't possibly think that…" The red faded from her eyes, her rage cooling into a cold hopelessness and denial. "Ruby, she's sweet and kind and genuine and… she would- she would never work with someone like Torchwick. Maybe he's controlling her somehow."

"She seemed plenty in control when she was fighting me and Penny. In fact, it almost seemed like she was enjoying making us look like fools." Thistle couldn't help the shame she felt for losing the way she did as she mentally lashed herself.

"You don't know her Thistle! None of you do! She's my baby sister and I'm going to do whatever it takes to bring her home!" Yang's ferocity returned with a vengeance, but this time it wasn't directed at anyone on her team, but rather, at herself.

"Well… why don't we do that then." All heads in the room turned to Weiss who stepped up from the wall with her chin cradled between her thumb and index finger.

"Care to elaborate Ice Queen?" Yang growled as she crossed her arms, her attitude eliciting a warning glare from and annoyed Thistle.

"Why don't we save your sister and stop Torchwick and the White Fang. If we find any one of those three elements, they'll lead us to the other two and we can solve all our problems." Weiss said it so simply and coolly, but her entire team looked awestruck.

"How do you propose we do that Weiss?" Blake spoke up, the bitterness in her voice replaced by curiosity and… hope.

"Well first, we need to gather information, we're dead in the water until we know where to start looking." Weiss closed her eyes as she began to run through plans and scenarios in her head.

"Okay… that might work." Yang took a long deep breath, and then released it, her aura and expression calming as she did so. "I- I think I'm going to put up some more fliers while you all think of a better plan. Like you said, Ruby will lead us to the White Fang and to Torchwick, so this is as good a place to start as any."

Yang walked to a small dresser by her bed, opening the top draw she pulled out a thick stack of freshly printed paper. She looked down with a desperate and broken gaze at the picture of a small girl in a red cape and hood, smiling away like nothing in the world was wrong. Her heart longed to bring that smile back into her life. Since she'd been missing, it's as though the entire world had gotten so, so much darker.

"I'll see you guys later…" Yang's voice came out in little more than a choked whimper as she walked by Blake and without another word, left her team behind, shutting the door as she made her way down the hall, her head hung low.

 _Ruby… please, what is happening? Why? Why would you be with the likes of Torchwick? This isn't right! You should be safe at home, studying and practicing to come here, to be a Huntress like you've always wanted, then we'd be in the same school, sure we'd be in different years but we'd still see each other, we'd laugh and talk and-_

"Gah!" She blurted out as she walked head first into something, her stack of fliers falling to the floor as she recoiled back.

Looking up, she saw two unfamiliar students in strange uniforms. One, a tall boy with silver hair and dull gray eyes, beside him stood a tan skinned girl with an amiable smile, her hand extending out to her.

"I- I'm so sorry, I was kinda lost in thought! Are you alright?" Yang felt unusually flustered, caught off guard in her vulnerable state.

"I'm fine, just try to watch where you're going." The girl smiled as Yang took her hand to stand up.

"Who's this?" The boy asked with a strangely unsettled tone as he picked up the stack of papers, his eyes fixed on the picture of the girl on their front.

"Oh, that's my little sister Ruby… she's been missing for a while. I'm just… doing what I can to help bring her home." Yang forced a smile as she took her fliers back.

"Well," A third voice spoke as the two students parted, making way for a young woman with black hair, amber eyes and an off-putting smile. "I wish you the best of luck in finding her. Family is such a precious thing."

"Yeah… thank you." Yang said cautiously as the three students walked by her. Slowly, as she regained her composure, she began walking once again, holding tight to the fliers in her hands.

 _I'm going find you Ruby, I'm going to bring you home!_


	16. The Plan

"Alright, are we all clear on the plan?" Weiss said as she and her team gathered in the center of the room. The atmosphere among the team had been tense and brimming anticipation, especially since her mistake of shouting out sensitive secrets of both Yang and Blake to the entire library in a fit of stress.

"Yeah, you and I will be heading to the CCT to dig up any information you can get from Schnee Dust Company records that might give us any clues right?" Thistle looked to Weiss who gave an affirming nod.

"I've got a friend on the shady side of town. I've seen him a couple times asking for any information about Ruby, he didn't know anything then, but maybe he does now, and we know she's… with Torchwick, so that might help." Yang's lilac eyes were dark with trepidation, feeling a pang of reluctance to learn the truth.

"The White Fang has regular meet-ups to recruit new members. I'll blend in and learn what I can and be out before anyone knows I was there." Blake looked almost as worried as Yang, but with eagerness winning out over trepidation as she felt some sense of closure wash over her. 'This is it, we're finally going on the offensive against the White Fang.'

"Alright, then we're ready to go. Let's keep the lines of communication open, if anything happens we call each other for backup. Still… I don't love the idea of you two going alone..." Weiss fretted as she rested her chin between her thumb and index finger.

"Then why don't we come with!" A sudden male voice called enthusiastically from the window. All four girls jumped back and turned to see the grinning face of a blond haired boy staring at them… upside down?

"Sun!?" Blake balked in disbelief as the boy's tooth grin grew. With an effortless flip he landed inside their room, taking a bow. No one seemed impressed.

"Sun, why? How?! I thought you were in the hospital?" Blake asked more frantically as she began to come to her senses.

"What that? Nah, I was just knocked out." He dismissively waved his hand. "That's not important, what is important is that I overheard you ladies planning to go on the offensive and I want in!"

"Hey, can I come in now? It's really high up here." Another boy's voice called out from the window. Weiss peaked out to see a tall boy with blue hair smiling tepidly at her. After finally getting Neptune in she returned to her team whose expressions ranged from mildly annoyed in Blake to an outright hostile glare from Thistle. Either way, Weiss knew what position her team took.

"Sorry but, we already have a plan… as a team." She smiled politely, however, that answer wasn't satisfactory for the stubborn monkey faunus.

"Come on, it wasn't just you that got their butts kicked. That little psycho with the scythe put me in the hospital!" Almost the entirety of team WYBT froze in place and stared at Sun with a dreadful shock… all except for Yang.

"What did you say…" Yang's voice came as a low, threatening growl, her head low and her bangs obscuring her eyes. The poor faunus had no idea what he had just done. He watched in confusion as the rest of team WYBT stepped slowly and cautiously back from her.

"W-what? I was just saying that I should help too because-" He was cut off as a massive wave of aura pulsed through the room and a glow ignited around the blond girl. Yang looked up with a rage filled expression, fury burning in her red eyes.

"That's my sister you're talking about!" Her Ember Celica unfurled into their gauntlet form and the guns loaded with a distinctive mechanical click that made a shudder run down Sun's spine. Her team watched helplessly, they knew there was a chance that getting in the way meant risking an altercation and it wouldn't end well for anyone.

"Yang… it's not worth it." Blake uttered softly and solemnly as she gently placed her hand on her enraged teammate's shoulder.

With a long, spiteful glare at Sun Yang huffed bitterly, her weapons retracting and her eyes returning to normal. Everyone in the room breathed a collective but very, very quiet sigh of relief, silently thanking Blake for once again defusing Yang before things got out of hand.

"Yang, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Sun's gaze fell to the floor with a genuine look of regret and sorrow.

"Yeah well, now you do." She turned around and began walking to the door. "I'm going to find her. I'll be heading to my source now. Good luck on your ends."

"Wait!" Weiss commanded, bringing Yang to a stop, her hand hovering just over the doorknob. "Take Neptune with you. I'd rather we all have a partner, for safety"

"I don't need a babysitter Weiss." She growled, her hands trembling with anger as she kept her back turned to her team.

"Look, I've got Thistle, Blake can go with Sun because they're the only ones who would be able to blend in with the White Fang, I want you to take Neptune. Please, this could get dangerous so just take him with you…" At the tone in her voice, Yang couldn't help but turn to face her. Never before had her leader ever sounded so desperate. She'd never heard Weiss sound like she was begging. It was the sadness and stress in her big blue eyes pleading with Yang to just listen that sealed it for her.

"Okay Ice Queen… you win, I'll take him with." With a soft, reluctant breath her face brightened with a delicate smile. The room almost at once breathed a collective sigh of relief as Neptune followed Yang out out the door. "Good luck."

With those parting words, she and Neptune left, the door shutting softly behind him. An awkward quiet fell over the room for a long moment as Weiss stared intensely at the door. _I'm most worried about you Yang… I lied, I wanted someone with you to stop you from doing something terrible. I shouldn't manipulate my team like that but it was the only way. I hope she'll be alright._

"I think it's time for us to go too." A soft warm touch on her arm from Thistle shook Weiss from her deep and fretful thoughts. She couldn't help but feel reassured. With a long, steadying breath Weiss turned to Blake and Sun.

"Are you two ready?" She could tell they were more than ready, Sun seemingly recovered from his apparent near death experience from eliciting Yang's wrath.

"Yes, we're ready. I have an idea of where the meetup might be. It's not far from Yang's side of town, if she needs us, we'll be the first to get there." Blake gave an encouraging smile to her leader as the turned for the door, leaving Weiss and Thistle alone.

"So, shall we go?" Weiss smiled, the stress of the past few days seeming to melt away as their hastily hatched plan was apparently coming together quite well.

"Yeah, let's do this!" Thistle's soft purple eyes burned with confidence and eagerness that her leader found almost infectious. The pair walked out of the room, Weiss taking one last lingering look at their now vacant dorm before shutting off the lights and closing the door.

 _My team needs me to hold it together, so I will. No matter what._


	17. A Night On The Town

"I keep forgetting just how huge the CCT is!" Thistle looked up in awe at the massive structure before them, the late day sun casting a large shadow across the landscape. She absolutely beamed at the sight.

"Yes, it's certainly impressive, though you should see the one it Altas, it's even more impressive than this." Weiss smiled, she couldn't help but feel uplifted by the pure wonder in her small teammate's voice.

"That was the first one right?" She turned back to Weiss expectantly awaiting her answer.

"Correct, Atlas developed the CCT system after the great war, their gift to the world. Beforehand wireless communication between continents was nearly impossible and the Grimm made ground based communication complicated and dangerous." She gave a proud smile as she concluded her lecture, looking as though she was half expecting applause.

"It'd be fun to see all four, take a picture with each one. That would be a nice vacation!" Thistle looked back up at the towering building that dwarfed everything around it, grandiose dreams of seeing every major city on Remnant played through her head.

"Well, why don't we start now?" Weiss smiled as she took out her scroll.

Immediately Thistle's face lit up, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she fumbled through her pocket and pulled out her scroll. The two girls stood close together, Weiss having to fiddle with the angle of her camera as she held her scroll up to get her smaller teammate in the shot properly along with the tower. The sound of a shutter snapped as each of them took a picture with each other, the CCT looming in the background. As Thistle looked happily at the picture, she felt more draw the their smiles than the monument to human ingenuity.

"Well, now that that's over with, we should get going." Weiss's smile faded as she looked up to the tower and for a brief moment, a shadow of doubt darkened her light blue eyes.

"Um… Weiss. I want to tell you something first." Her teammate's serious tone made Weiss spin around to face her, Thistle looking up at her leader with a complex mix of regret and empathy.

"What's wrong Thistle?" She raised an eyebrow, not exactly sure what to expect from her. Out of all of her teammates, Thistle was the one she could least understand. Having learned what she had about Blake, their faunus friend seemed like less of a mystery despite her aloofness. Yang was boisterous and straightforward, she wasn't usually hard to figure out. Thistle though, she knew next to nothing about her. She could be gentle one moment and hot headed and short tempered the next. To say nothing of her lack of knowledge about her personal life.

"Well it's just that… I wanted to apologize for what I said to you, when we were looking for Blake after she ran off." Her gaze descended looking at the ground, guilt weighing heavily in her heart. Suddenly, Weiss felt she understood the small girl a little better. She opened her mouth to speak, but only for a moment, deciding to let Thistle say what's been weighing on her mind.

"I said things that… well, things I didn't know anything about. I just assumed you were like him, the bad things I'd heard about your father. I thought you were a certain kind of person that I could never accept as my leader. I was wrong Weiss!" Thistle looked up, her soft purple eyes meeting Weiss' with fierce loyalty and strength.

"When you apologized to Blake, when you told her you were sorry, and I've seen you, you've been trying so hard to hold everyone together, so much that you're letting yourself fall apart. I was wrong, and I'm so sorry Weiss. You're someone I'm so proud to call my leader and… I hope you'll forgive me, for the terrible things I said back then." She shut her eyes tight and waited for Weiss through the deep silence that grew between them.

"Thistle…" Was all the heiress could say, her mind failing her as she searched for anything she could say to all that, being caught completely off guard by her sincerity. She opened her mouth once more and once more the words died on her lips. She just stood there dumbly as her teammate clenched her teeth, holding herself together through the pain of the needless guilt she felt.

"Thistle, you were right about me then." She admitted painfully, her head bowed and her bangs obscuring her eyes. "I was acting like him. I was being arrogant and judgmental and prejudiced. I labeled Blake, our teammate, our… our friend as a criminal without knowing the full story. I wasn't acting like much of a leader."

"Weiss…" Thistle could see her visibly trembling, the emotional turmoil pushing her stress even further. A pang of anger and guilt burned into her chest as she watched her leader helplessly. _I never should have brought this up! Why am I so stupid!?_

"Actually, it's what you said that was the wake-up call I needed." A small but warm and grateful smile brightened her dark visage, even through the sadness still glistening in her eyes. "I your brash and heavy handed way, you forced me to see how I was acting and that I needed to change. So Thistle… Thank you."

"No." She said simply as she looked up to Weiss, eyes brimming with pride and a bright warm smile. "I was wrong. It takes a lot of strength to change like that, you had it in you, I just didn't believe in you. I do now."

"Thank you. I've been… really stressed by all of this. Blake with the White Fang and Yang with her sister Ruby and then there's Torchwick and you've been down since the docks too. I- I'm just doing my best to keep the team going, that's what a leader is supposed to do… I just didn't think it would be this hard. Maybe Ozpin made a mistake." Her tone became dejected as her gaze fell down to the side.

"Weiss, being a leader means being part of the team, not separate from us. You don't have to put everything on your shoulders alone. Let us help you." Thistle was almost pleading. She had seen the struggles of the team weighing more and more heavily on her, eroding her down over the last few days. She didn't know how much longer Weiss could cope.

"I know you're right… I know you are but how am I supposed to do that when Blake and Yang are on the verge of breaking down? We've got a radical terrorist organization, an infamous crime boss and our teammate's little sister in the middle of it handing us our butts when we confronted her! How am I supposed to deal with this? I- I don't think I should be the leader, not if I can't handle this."

"Well, for a start," Thistle walked up to her leader with a soft smile. "You relax. This is your plan and it's the best course of action, everyone else thinks so. We're all doing our part, so while our teammates are putting their lives on the line to get some information, we get to sit in a comfy chair and download the information. So just relax. This is the easy part."

"I'm sorry." Weiss took a long deep breath, releasing all the tension in her chest through a heavy but soft sigh. "Sorry I kinda freaked out. Thanks for helping me pull myself back together. I feel much better after all that."

"I figured you would." Thistle smiled again feeling as though a weight was lifted from her heart as she saw Weiss looking back to her normal self… maybe even happier than normal.

"Alright, with all that out of the way, let's get-"

Weiss was cut off before she could finish as she turned around and slammed into something hard and heavy, nearly knocking her down. When she finally regained her balance and composure she looked up and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Penny!?" Thistle shouted with a mix of relief and shock.

"Penny…" Weiss let out a murmured grumble under her breath.

"Thistle? Weiss? I- I um… I didn't see you there. I- I mean um… I... " The strange, awkward girl shifted her gaze anywhere but on the two worried looking girls before her.

"Thistle what happened to you? I hadn't seen you since the incident at the docks! Were you hurt or something?!" Thistle demanded, walking right up to Penny, putting her face only inches from hers.

"No, no, nothing like that! I sustained only minor damages. Though I wish I could have been more help. I mean… um, I think you're mistaken, you must have the wrong person." She finished her strange digression with a fit of hiccups as she backed wearily away.

"Penny wait!" Thistle called out. It was no use however as Penny began to burst into a sprint away from them.

"Do you want to go after her?" Weiss asked with a concerned look on her face. Thistle turned to her, and then back to the direction her friend had run off to, hesitating in between them and losing precious time.

"Weiss, I'm sorry." One against she looked into her leader's eyes with guilt and apology, but found it waved away with a gentle shake of her head and an affirming smile.

"Go, your friend seems like she needs you more right now than I do. Just be careful." Weiss meant what she said, be she couldn't help a pang of sadness as her teammate gave her a thankful nod and rushed off after her eccentric friend.

"Well… I guess I'm on my own." She sighed softly. "It doesn't matter, I can do this."

With an uneasy look back, she found Thistle was already long gone. She took a deep breath and steeled herself as she turned back to the CCT tower, it loomed over her and filled her heart with a flicker of trepidation. Still, the conversation she had with her friend played again in her mind and it filled her with confidence as she walked forward.

* * *

The sun had fallen behind the horizon leaving only the shattered moon as the singular source of natural light. As the the darkness took over the sky Yang's "shady side of town" became very bright and loud as the nightlife came in full swing. Even over the roar of her motorcycle Neptune could still hear hear the pounding bass as the they came to a screeching stop in front of a busy nightclub.

Neptune was reeling, thanks in large part to his companion driving like a maniac as he held on to her waist for dear life. He felt like he could still feel the vibration of the engine shaking through his body even as Yang stepped onto the sidewalk.

"Come on, we're here." She beckoned as she walked up to the door with a determined glare. Meanwhile Neptune struggled to dismount, his legs feeling wobbly from adrenaline.

"S-so, your friend owns this place or something?" He asked as he regained his composure, silently cursing his leader for getting him into this and for pissing Yang off with his speak before he thinks attitude.

"Sorta, and he's not exactly a friend either." Before he could ask what she meant, Yang's Ember Celica extended into gauntlets, the shotgun round loading into place as she slammed her fists together with a wild grin. "Knock-knock!"

 _ **BANG!**_

A powerful blast from her augmented punch exploded the large metal doors open. Screams could be heard from inside as ran about in a panic. Without hesitation Yang strutted in with a confident swagger, Neptune following casually behind.

"Miss me?" She said nonchalantly with a cocksure grin as more men than Neptune could count aimed their guns at her.

"No! Put your guns down!" A large man cried out frantically. At his command the men lowered their weapons and the man wearing a suit vest with well groomed facial hair stepped up, adjusting his tie nervously. "Blondie, you're back… why?"

"I have some questions and you're going to give me answers!" She growled low under her breath as she grabbed him and pulled him by the collar of his shirt to a more private location leaving everyone including Neptune staring in fear and awe.

"She's… something." Neptune said, smoothing out his blue hair with his hand before quickly following after them.

"Alright, I'm only going to ask nicely once." Yang growled, her grip tightening around his collar as she pulled him in uncomfortably close. "Where's my sister."

"I- I don't know! I told you before, I hadn't seen her. I swear!" He choked out his words and Yang twisted his shirt in her fist, slowly tightening it around his throat.

"I'll give you one more chance to tell me the truth. I'm not playing around this time Junior! I want my little sister back!" She was shouting, her eyes burning red with rage. Neptune began to fear just how far she'd go.

"Alright! I'll talk! Please I- I can't… breath." With an enraged huff Yang threw him against the bar as he gasped for breath.

"Talk! Now!" Her fury was accentuated by the sound of another round clicking into her ember Celica.

"Okay… I don't know much, but word on the street is Roman Torchwick has himself a new cleaner. A little girl in a black hood with a red cape. Rumor has it that this girl is a real ruthless fighter and kills people for Torchwick, like a faunus who had the stupid idea of running from the White Fang. Hadn't been seen since and they say that the girl killed him. They say with her by his side he's been having the run of the town, no one wants to get on his bad side anymore."

"T-that can't be Ruby…" Yang's shoulders dropped as she let out a pitiful, soft laugh. The look in her eyes, Neptune could just tell it felt like something was breaking inside her. "Ruby would never do anything like that."

"She apparently wields a scythe if that makes any difference." Junior said as he stood back up, straightening his shirt.

"I there anything else you could tell us?" Neptune said stepping to Yang's side. Her eyes were fixed on the floor as though lost in a labyrinth of denial and questions in her mind.

"Well… there is one more thing, it's just a rumor and I don't buy it one bit."

"What is it?" Yang said quietly, raising her eyes up to him. The burning red was gone, replaced with a a deep, sad lilac.

"Well… some say that Roman Torchwick has a soft spot for the girl." Junior shook his head slightly, waving away the very notion. "Now, that's really all I know. You're welcome to have a drink… then leave."

"Yang… are you alright?" Neptune asked, putting his hand to her shoulder.

She didn't respond, her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. He could feel her body quivering and he felt helpless to do anything. Yang's fists balled and her jaw clenched, but her expression was almost blank.

 _W-what does any of this mean? My little sister, a killer? No, it just isn't possible. Ruby is gentle and sweet and awkward and funny and warm. She would never hurt anyone, she'd never work with Torchwick or attack my teammates. This all has to be some huge mistake. None of this can be real. It can't be…_

"It can't be…" She whispered painfully, her eyes began to cloud with tears as her head hung low. She took a long, bitter breath before looking up to Neptune.

"I- I need a drink."

* * *

It was dark, even the moonlight didn't seem to penetrate as deep into the shadows in this part of town. The streets were covered with litter and the buildings were dilapidated. Everywhere around them seemed to have an uneasy pressure about it, but still, Blake and Sun pressed on.

It had been a quiet ride to the edge of the ghetto, their driving unwilling to take them further at night. So they walked. Little was spoken between them, despite Sun's efforts to strike up any sort of conversation, but Blake was having none of it.

Finally, they found themselves stalking silently into the dirty, dark alleyway. Blake took up the front, she was on high alert, slithering her way through the darkness while Sun bumbled about trying really hard not to step on a rat or trip over trash. He was beginning to feel like he'd drawn the short straw.

 _Neptune gets to go to a nightclub with Yang and Thistle and Weiss go to sit in a comfy air conditioned room in front of a screen and I'm here wading through trash and all my attempts to lighten the mood are getting shot down. Okay, so maybe I don't completely envy Neptune, Yang didn't seem like she was in the best mood after I screwed up and I'd hate to be near her when she's like that. Still, this kinda-_

"We're here." Blake said coming to a sudden stop, looking down at a couple of innocuous scratched on a wall.

"You sure this is the place?" He asked what he thought was an innocent question, but only elicited a stern glare from Blake. "Okay sorry, I guess you would know."

With a frustrated sigh she stood up. They could hear talking and footsteps around the corner. Peaking out they saw the characteristic masks of the White Fang as well as a bunch of Faunus in normal clothes. They quickly retreated back to avoid being seen. Slowly and ceremoniously Blake undid the bow that hid what she really was. Cool air rushed around her uncovered ears as she stared down solemnly at her ribbon.

Steeling themselves one last time, the two emerged from the shadows. A man at the door of a run down building ushered in faunus after faunus. Blake couldn't help but feel sorrow and empathy for those faunus who got caught up in the White Fang. She'd been there since the beginning, she knew how her species was treated… but she also knew that way the White Fang was operating wasn't the right way forward.

"I don't get it." Sun spoke softly from behind her. "If you believe what you're doing is right, then why hide behind a mask?"

"The mask is just a symbol. The humans treat us like animals and monsters so we don the faces of monsters." She looked at the mask and just for the shortest moment a look of disgust flashed across her face.

"Yeah but Grimm masks? That's kinda… bleak." Sun stared down hesitantly at the mask in his hand.

"So is the person who started it." She sighed. "Come on, let's get going."

"It's always sunshine and rainbows with you isn't it?" He shrugged as he put on his mask and followed Blake in.

Sun felt a cold chill run down his spine as he took in the room. Over half of the faunus in the large room were wearing normal clothes, almost all of them were new to the cause and willing to fight for the White Fang's ideals. It gave him a sick feeling in his stomach, but Blake continued walking in seemed wholly unfazed.

"Welcome!" A large man in White Fang garb spoke up with a heavy accent from the stage. "For those of you joining us for the first time, I'd like to welcome a very special comrade of ours!"

Blake's heart was pounding in her chest as she saw two figures emerge from behind the stage. She felt frozen as she watched him approach, each click of his cane echoing through the room and reverberating almost painfully in her ears. A small girl in a black hood stopped short at the side of the stage as Torchwick took up the center with a smug grin despite the jeering and booing he received.

 _I- It's her. It's Ruby. She really is with Torchwick and the White Fang. B-but why? Why is Yang's little sister caught up in all of this?!_ Blake could barely hear over her own jumbled and shocked thoughts.

"Please, please, hold your applause!" He smiled. Backstage Blake could make out the figure of a very short woman in pink walking around.

"What's a human doing here!" Angry shouts of agreement came from everywhere in the crowd but Torchwick seemed unbothered.

"I'm glad you asked! I'll be the first to admit that humans are the worst! We're just terrible, selfish, greedy, destructive. Take yours truly for example! So I understand why you'd just love to see us all put in cages or better yet, just kill every single one of us."

"Um," Sun leaned over and whispered in Blake's ears. "Does he have a point to all this?"

"But before you get out your pitchforks and torches I'd just like to point out the fact that we all have a common enemy…" His charming voice became dark and sinister as spoke. "The rich, the establishment, the people pulling the strings, running the kingdoms, those in power who thrust you into your lot in life and told you to just quietly accept what you're given!"

Screams and cheers of agreement rang out from all directions and Blake's heart sank. Most of the faunus here were young and impressionable. Torchwick was hitting all the right points to tap deep into their pent up rage and indignation and giving them the perfect target. He was playing them like fools… and it made her blood boil.

"The government, the military, even the schools, they're all responsible. They're all vermin, pests that need to be exterminated, fortunately for you, I'm the best exterminator around!" The crowd was practically foaming at the mouth over what he was saying.

Suddenly, a massive cloth with the White Fang's emblem that worked as the backdrop for the stage was pulled back. Blake's heart skipped a beat as a massive mech was revealed. The entire room seemed stunned silent.

"H-how did he get that…" She whispered in apprehensive awe.

"This right here, as some of you may have heard, is Atlas' new weapon designed to protect the world from all the scary things the go bump in the night. Thankfully, an associate of mine was able to grab a few before they hit the shelves." He began pacing, looking from the new recruits to the uniformed soldiers.

"Many of your brothers and sisters in arms have already moved down to our operation in the south east. Now, if you want to stay here in the city that's fine, but if you are truly ready to fight for your cause, this is the arsenal I can provide you with." He took a long deep drag of his cigar and blew out a cloud of smoke to roaring cheers and applause.

"Blake, I think it's time we get out of here." Sun looked around nervously, thankful for an agreeing nod from his companion.

"Would all new recruits please come forward!" The man with the accent spoke up again, his deep voice echoing through the room.

The throngs began to pour up front, eager to get to taste of fighting for what they believe as Roman, Ruby and the very short woman with pink and brown hair all stood at the center of the stage together, smiling and seeming to exchange words.

Suddenly, the pairs' hearts at once sank as Ruby took off her hood. In the light of the room her large silver eyes sparkled and her hair swayed as her hood came down and they knew, as she nudged Torchwick with her elbow and looked directly at them, that they had been made.

"They see us! We need to get out of here now!" Sun blurted out as his panic began rising tremendously. Blake looked frantically around until a sly smile formed from her lips.

"They can't see in the dark." In a sudden, fluid motion Blake pulled out her weapon and fired a bullet into the circuit breaker, shorting out the entire room.

Everything went black and Blake and Sun seized the moment and ran for their lives as fast as they could, weaving between confused faunus as a harsh metallic sound lurched, they knew… they were in trouble.

* * *

Thistle sat atop a roof overlook some random alley, her back to the short wall that surrounded its perimeter looking with a complex stare at the night sky, feeling a little more than dazed as she reflected on what the heck just happened.

 _Okay, so Penny is a robot… that's new. I really didn't see that one coming. Crap, I acted like an idiot at first. I hope she's alright. I mean, human, faunus, robot, what's it matter to me? Who cares?! Do I see Penny any differently now that I know? … Okay, a little, but just a little. I mean, I don't think of her as any less of a friend just because she's made of metal. I judge people by their character, not by what they are._

"Though given what happened with Weiss when we were looking for Blake, I probably need to work on that too. I pegged her totally wrong. Well, on the upside, Weiss is still my friend and so is Penny, so I guess it all worked-"

Her train of thought was promptly derailed by a frantic vibrating in her pocket. She pulled out her scroll and clicked the answer button and was immediately greeted with the sound of explosions that rang loudly in her unprepared ear.

"We need help!" She could hear Sun's panicked screaming amidst the tumultuous sounds. Thistle stood up, her eyes burning with excitement and anticipation as her wrist mounted Spite Virtues dispensed her two karambit knives that dangled from their thin but strong chains.

* * *

Weiss sat in front of the screen, staring at the CCT symbol at its center. Her call had ended, but it left her feeling cold and tired inside. With a deep and stressful sigh she leaned back in her chair and looked up to the ceiling, her scroll clutched in her hand dangling above the floor.

 _Why was Winter with Dad, that can't be a good sign. M-maybe I should have talked to them, told them how things are? No, what would that accomplish? Dad has never been one for catching up like that and Winter… she's always so busy, probably visiting father on business of some sort._

"I bet Thistle would tell me to suck it up and just try talking to them." She giggled, though her eyes still held a note of dejection and bitterness. "Blake would probably tell me to wait till I was ready and that there was no need to rush things. Yang would probably just ask how bad it could be."

 _I ended up with a pretty crazy team._ Her expression softened as a warm smile spread across her face. _They may not be what I expected, and they may get on my nerves sometimes… but I've learned so much from them. I'm lucky to be their leader._

She was ripped from her moment of peace as her Scroll began to rapidly vibrate. With a roll of her eyes she picked it up and pressed the center button.

"We're being attacked! We need backup!" Blake's voice screamed from the other side, in the background Weiss could hear the carnage of a battle. She bolted up from her chair with Myrtenaster readied at her side.

* * *

Yang sat staring at her half finished drink, her better judgement not letting her get wasted this particular night, no matter how much she wanted to. Aside from the devastating information she got from Junior, they didn't get any useful leads.

 _So… somehow Ruby is working for Torchwick and the White Fang. Apparently she's a cleaner and she kills people. She supposedly killed a White Fang defector and Torchwick has a soft spot for her._ Her teeth clenched painfully together as her glass trembled in her hand. _What the hell does any of this mean! It's not possible, I don't care what Blake or Thistle or Junior say, it is not her!_

"You okay Yang?" Neptune asked, sitting beside her with a worried expression.

"Do I look okay?!" Yang barked as she glared up at him, but he seemed undeterred.

"You think it's true? About your sister and Torchwick and the White Fang?" He knew he was treading on dangerously thin ice but he just felt he had to say something. Neptune couldn't help but wish that his leader was with them, he always said stupid things without thinking first.

"I don't know…" Yang said softly, taking another small sip of her drink. "I really don't. It just, doesn't seem possible. The little sister I grew up watching, loving and protecting, she's nothing like that but… I don't want to believe it but how can I just brush aside all of this? Even my own team swears to me that it's her."

"What will you do if it's true?" He ventured cautiously, bracing for another violent outlash.

"I… I can't answer that Neptune. Not even to myself." She let out another heavy sigh and the urge came on to chug her drink, and then another, and then another, and then another. However, just as she was about to give in, her Scroll began vibrating. Sluggishly, she pulled it out and answered it.

"Help! Being attacked! Giant robot! Backup now please!"

"I'm on my way!" Thistle's voice sounded off from her end, judging by the sounds coming from both parties, Yang guessed she was closing in.

"Me too!" Weiss said reassuringly. Yang ran out of the night club with Neptune close behind.

"Where are you!?" She screamed into the phone. Only moments later she heard screams and felt the ground trembling with powerful, heavy impacts.

"We're over here!" Sun screamed with Blake beside him as a giant robot was right on their tail.

"Finally!" Yang grinned belligerently, her Ember Celica extending out as a round loaded, ready to be fired. "Something to take my anger out on! Hope in Neptune!"

She effortlessly hopped on her motorcycle as Neptune frantically scrambled onto it, getting situated just moments before the bike rushed forward the acceleration nearly knocking him off as they gave chase. Wind rushed around them as they quickly caught up to the metal monstrosity on a busy bridge. Blake and Sun hopped from car to car trying to stay out of reach of their pursuer.

"We've got to slow it down!" Yang shouted above the turbulent gusts of wind. "Hold on!"

As Yang sped up so did the robot, running at surprising speeds for its weight it shoved car after car side, sending them tumbling down the street at their comparatively small bike. Yang didn't flinch for a moment as she accelerated, effortlessly dodging the oncoming flying vehicles. Neptune found his composure and stood up carefully on the bike, pulling out his gun he took aim at the robot, letting loose a blast of blue energy that definitely caught the attention of the robot.

He stood up fully and his weapon transformed in his hand into a spear with a blue energy blade. Aiming himself he lunged forward, destabilizing the bike slightly with his jump as he landed atop the robot, stabbing his blade into the metal causing sparks to fly out from it.

"Neptune!" Sun cried out as he turned to aide his teammate. Putting his hands together and focusing his semblance he materialized two translucent copies of himself that were quickly destroyed by the charging mech. Gritting his teeth he ran forward only to be slammed out of the air by his friend as they were both flung from the bridge.

"I'm in position!" Weiss called out through the scrolls, positioning herself in front of the oncoming giant mech. Without faltering she waiting for the right moment as it charged forward and then she activated her semblance, covering the road in a layer of ice that cause the robot to slip and plummet off the road and down to a less populated area below where Thistle lay in wait.

The robot staggered to its feet with Roman Torchwick inside, greeted by the sight of four young girls brandishing their weapons at him. He couldn't help but give a smug and confident chuckle as he readied to crush them.

"Maneuver Alpha-Delta!" Weiss called out, stabbing her sword into the ground and covering it with a layer of ice. In the next moment Yang jumped high into the air and slammed down her fist against the ground, the resulting explosion vaporizing the frozen surface into a dense fog as they all retreated to a safer distance as the machine's laser sights were helpless to seek them out accurately in the mist.

Without recourse Roman began firing at anything that moved, tearing up the ground around him with powerful blasts until he knocked Blake and Yang down. However as they fell he heard a belligerent battle cry and a small girl with bright red hair flew directly at him from the front, two long chains trailing behind her.

In mid air Thistle rotated her body, her feet slamming with full force into the face of the mech, her meager weight doing next to nothing. Just as Roman was about to laugh at the pathetic attack a powerful concussive wave shot out from her feet, launching her away like a rockets and rolled along the ground, the blast staggering the mech backwards as Thistle came skidding to a stop with a wild grin.

"Attack pattern Beta-Gamma!" On Weiss' command She and Blake sprinted forward in a dance of slashed and stabs that disabled one of the mech's trackers before quickly retreating. A barrage of missiles shot towards them as they narrowly avoided the direct explosions before getting back to a safer distance.

However a powerful beam shot upward catching Weiss and throwing her backwards. As she fell she cast a glyph beneath Blake, powering her up. With a flurry of cuts Blake managed to cut down every missile before it could land.

"Attack pattern Beta-Alpha!" Weiss commanded once again as she got to her feet. A rush of wind poured over her as Thistle lunged forward towards the mech, her knives trailing shortly behind on her chains.

Thistle and Blake used their superior agility to easily jump back and forth, evading and slashing at the mech's extremities before jumping up for a combined slash, their blades landing powerfully one immediately after the other on the join of the mech's arm, severing it with their combined force.

Roman turned to an enraged scream from above as Yang landed on the robot's head, punching it in rapid fire again and again, her gauntlets sending out blast after blast at point black into the metal shell protecting Torchwick as warning lights lit up everywhere in his display.

Suddenly the mech rushed forward, plowing through a thick concrete support beam and throwing Yang off like a ragdoll into another support. Its giant metal fist reared back and unleashed a devastating punch, smashing Yang through it and slamming her into the ground.

Her teammates looked on in horror for a moment as she lay motionless on the ground, but horror quickly turned to awe and she slowly staggered up, her eyes blazing red. The robot unleashed another punch right at her but Yang effortlessly caught it, concrete blasting away beneath her feet from the impact.

With a defiant scream and her weapon enhanced punch Yang blew the robot's remaining arm to pieces with a single blow. More and more warning lights popped up as the damage kept increasing and Roman knew he was now fighting a losing battle, but he wasn't finished yet. The robot's leg shot forward kicking Yang and sending her flying. Weiss turned to it, her face contorted in anger as she raised her rapier.

"Attack pattern… Alpha-Alpha!" She called out one more command as Thistle threw yang her chain, catching her before she flew any further. Her chain retracted fast, pulling her teammate back. Yang fell into a forward roll landing with her other three teammates before standing back up.

"Which one's that?! We seriously need to come up with some real names for this!?" Yang glared at her.

"You want a name?" She grinned confidently as she raised her sword to the air. "How about; Heavy Bombardment!"

Suddenly a bunch of white glyphs surrounded the mech and Thistle and Yang both gave wild and terrifying smiles as they readied their weapons, Thistle's chains extending only a few feet in length and Yang's Ember Celica reloaded.

"I like the sound of that!" Yang's eyes burned bright red as she launched forward with Thistle close behind.

As they both neared the mech they launched themselves upwards to meet Weiss' glyphs. As soon as their feet touched it they were propelled forward. Explosions rang out from every side as they bounced back and forth around it, each of their hits crumpling the metal shell more and more. Thistle's explosion augmented knives cut deeply and effortlessly and Yang's powerful punches pushed the mass of metal as though it were made of foam.

With one cohesive move Yang jumped in front of Thistle with a glyph floating behind both of them. With a sly and confident grin Thistle spin around and kicked down at Yang, her semblance absorbing the shock from her teammate's explosion amplified kick and sent her flying down like a yellow meteor, easily demolishing the robot in one immensely powerful punch.

The robot scattering into pieces with the cockpit flying outward, slamming into a concrete pillar with enough force to crack it. With a pneumatic sound the door of the cockpit opened and Roman Torchwick staggered out, dusting himself off.

"And I just got this thing cleaned too." He grumbled to himself.

Yang glared dangerously at him as her teammates joined her. As range flowed over her she took aim at Torchwick and pulled back her fist.

Suddenly, just for an instant, time seemed to come to a dead stop as a powerful gust of wind blew from behind them and rose petals danced in the air. Before Yang could even comprehend what was happening…

 _ **Whoooosh!**_

A ring of flames forcefully shot out from in between the group the intense blast throwing all of them painfully to the ground as the scalding heat scoured the ground around them. As Yang lay on the ground her head weakly lifted up her lilac eyes growing wide at the site before her.

A small girl with a red cape and a pitch black hood stood menacingly over her team. A strange, horrific looking scythe rested comfortably over her shoulder while and inferno raged from its blade. The flames danced in her frigid silver eyes as she stared not at them, but to Torchwick.

"R-Ruby!" Yang cried out as she reached out for her sister, only for her hand to find nothing but rose petals. After a few dazed blinks she looked down to where Torchwick was and sure enough, her little sister was with him, looking up to him and he was… smiling back at her.

"Ruby it's me! Yang!" She stood up, tears clouding her eyes beyond the point where she could see anything but blurs as. "Ruby… it's me… your big sister."

Ruby turned to the girl, her cold expression unchanged as she stepped defensively between team WYBT and Roman Torchwick, bringing her scythe back ready to strike at whoever dared to come close.

A sudden intense rage hotter than anything Yang had ever felt seared through her chest with an all consuming ferocity. Her teeth bit down so hard she thought they may shatter under the pressure, but she didn't care. Her body trembled with pure fury as she once again raised her fist.

"Give me back my baby sister!" With a belligerent cry that strained her throat to the point she tasted blood she loosed her fist, sending a powerful blast towards Roman and her sister, but just before it made impact it was blocked… by a small woman with an umbrella.

"N-No!" Yang shouted again, her voice breaking into nothing more than a near silent choke. She raised her other fist and sent out another blast. However, as the shot from her weapon slammed into them, their entire image fell to pieces like fragments of glass and rose petals, in its wake… was nothing.

Yang stared hopelessly at the now vacant spot of concrete. Tears poured from her eyes without a sound as her team gathered around her. Her mind was empty, devoid of anything other than pain and grief. Only one thing rang deafeningly over and over in her mind.

 _Ruby… why?_


	18. Unwind

Team WYBT sat together in combat class as they usually did. In the ring below them Pyrrha Nikos was single handedly putting down all of Team CRDL one after the other, never missing a beat and never taking a hit. It would have been an awe inspiring match that would leave Weiss and her team enthralled and excited for their friend from Team JNPR… but not today.

Everyone looked exhausted, but Blake and Yang were particularly out of it. It had been a hard blow to all of them. After defeating Torchwick's mech they thought they would finally get some closure… but then they escaped, leaving the whole team pretty fragile. Especially Yang, who had seen Ruby save Torchwick with her own eyes. Blake was having it just as hard, questions swirling in her mind over what the hell the White Fang was doing with Torchwick and those weapons… Needless to say, team morale was at an all time low.

"Yang Xiao Long," Professor Goodwitch called out, snapping all of their team to attention. "You've been unusually reserved. Why don't you come down here for a match."

All eyes in the room turned to the tall blonde haired girl. The others may not have been able to see it, but her friends could, Yang was exhausted in every conceivable way and she just wasn't herself. She looked down with a growing expression of apprehension and reluctance as she hesitated.

"I'll go." Much to Yang's relief, a tall boy behind her with gray hair volunteered in her stead.

"Hmm, Mercury Black is it? Very well, let's find an opponent for you then." The professor looked around the room, adjusting her glasses as she did so.

"Actually, I'd like to fight…" Mercury tapped his chin with his index finger as he scanned the room for a only a brief moment before pointing down at the armor clad redhead still standing in the ring. "Her!"

"I'm afraid Miss Nikos has already finished a match, I suggest you chose someone else." The professor asserted with a stern gaze.

"No!" Pyrrha interjected before turning to Mercury with an amiable smile. "I'd be happy to spar with you."

The whole class watched as Mercury made his way down to the ring to fight his fearsome and renowned opponent… all except for team WYBT who were each too mired in their own worries to focus on much else. Thistle looked to her side at her white haired leader, the hope they had gained as they set out on their mission the night before was short lived and now they looked more than ever like they'd fall apart.

 _What can I do? My plan completely backfired! I never expected Ruby to actually show up. Seeing her save Torchwick and run away with him, it's left Yang more devastated than ever. Thanks to Blake, we know the White Fang is being armed to the teeth by him and are doing something in the south east. Have no idea what's going on with them has left Blake extremely on edge._ Weiss buried her face in her hands as she felt so immensely overwhelmed she just wanted to scream.

Suddenly, a warm and gentle pressure landed on her shoulder. Weiss looked up to see the worried light purple eyes of her teammate. Thistle frowned at her, feeling helpless to do anything but try to comfort her team as best she could.

Weiss took a long, deep breath and gave a grateful smile to Thistle as she remembered the conversation they had in front of the CCT tower. _I don't have to handle this alone. Okay, it's apparent now that we need to have another team meeting after class._

"I forfeit." Mercury said simply, bringing his match against Pyrrha Nikos to a close.

"You… aren't even going to try?" Pyrrha's voice held more than just a hint of disappointment and confusion.

"What's the point, you're a world famous fighter. I don't stand a chance." Despite his loss, Mercury smiled smugly, as though he somehow had won a secret victory.

"Then the match goes once again to Pyrrha Nikos." Professor Goodwitch declared before turning back to the defeated combatant. "Perhaps next time you'll think a little more carefully when choosing an opponent."

"I'll keep that in mind." He smiled as he walked out of the ring.

The bell rang, startling Blake and Yang out of their near stupor, eliciting more worried glances from their teammates. One by one students filed out of the room, Team WYBT sluggishly grabbing their things as they made their way to the door.

"Oh and don't forget, the dance is this weekend, but you have your first missions on Monday, I will not accept any excuses!" The professor called out. Students excited chatter began to overwhelm with other sounds as excitement for the dance grew.

However, as they made their way outside and the sun and fresh air poured over them, most of the distraught team could barely think about anything other than their own stress. Thistle took up the lead as Weiss, Blake and Yang trailed slowly behind.

 _I've got to do something about this._ Thistle thought to herself as she took a fretful look back at her team behind her. _What will happen to us at this rate?_

"Hey Blake!" Sun called out from behind them before gently grabbing Blake by her shoulder to get her attention.

"What is it Sun?" She all but growled at him. Thistle couldn't help but feel bad for Sun, but was pleasantly impressed with how he seemed undeterred by her hostility.

"How are you holding up?" Sun asked cautiously, seeing the state she was in.

"I'm fine." She huffed with finality. No one believed her, and it was clear to her team that Sun didn't believe her either. Nonetheless, he didn't push it.

"Well, you know, I've been hearing about this dance and it's kinda lame but I've been thinking, you and I, not so lame, maybe we hit it up?" He gave her a goofy, nervous smile as he tried to stay cool faced with the prospect of imminent rejection and again, Thistle felt proud of him… and a little envious.

"What?" She glared at him bitterly, but his smiled didn't change. Now Thistle was beginning to wonder if he was brave or just socially unaware.

"The dance!" He exclaimed excitedly. "You wanna go with me or what?!"

"I don't have time for a stupid dance." Blake snarled venomously before walking ahead without her team. "I thought you of all people would understand that."

Her team looked from a completely dejected Sun back to their teammate. With a heavy sigh Yang followed her, looking just about as happy, leaving Weiss and Thistle to watch them walk off and feeling totally helpless.

"Come on Thistle… I think we need to have a team meeting." With a heavy heart Weiss followed after her teammates, feeling very close to absolutely drained.

 _A dance huh?_ Thistle stood alone, looking from Sun to her team as they made their way to their dorms. _Maybe that's exactly what we need._

* * *

"You what!?" Her entire team nearly shouted in shock. All four were seated on their beds facing each other and all were staring at Thistle in disbelief and outrage, but the small girl didn't flinch. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and continued.

"Look, I think it'll be good for us to go. I mean, look at as." She gestured with her hand sweeping across the room at her entire team. "We're a mess. If we don't take a breather it's going to break us, then who will we be able to save?!"

"How the hell am I supposed to dance when my baby sister is- is working for Torchwick!?" Yang was now very much shouting as she glared with burning anger at the small redhead across from her.

"The White Fang, Torchwick, Ruby; with all of that going on you want us to just party the night away, what's wrong with you?" Blake narrowed her eyes as she hissed at Thistle.

"Wait." Weiss interjected, standing up from her bed, positioning herself between her teammates. "Maybe Thistle has a point. Look, we're no good to anyone like this. We barely beat Torchwick last time and every time we've fought Ruby she's handed us our butts. How well do you think that will go in our current state?"

The room fell silent as Weiss' words sank in. Blake and Yang's gaze fell to the floor as they reluctantly accepted what their leader said. Thistle stared at them, her breath held as the quiet tension mounted more and more. It was Weiss that finally spoke up, shattering the tension between them.

"Look, the teachers approached me to organize the dance as Team CFVY's away mission lasted longer than expected. I was going to turn them down but like I said, I think Thistle has a point. We need this!" She gave a light stomp of her foot and put her hands on her hips, looking down at her distraught teammates with a scolding glare. Behind her, Thistle smiled thankfully.

"This…" Blake began as she stood up from her bed, glaring defiantly at her leader. "Is a colossal waste of time."

"Blake wait!" Weiss called out to her fruitlessly as her faunus teammate walked out, slamming the door behind her. She turned and looked to Thistle, her cool blue eyes brimming with determination. "I'm going after her!"

Without hesitation Weiss ran out the door after her, leaving Thistle and Yang sitting in awkward silence. Nervously she fidgeted on her bed, looking up from the floor to her teammate, sitting in quiet contemplation on her bed, mulling over what Weiss had said to her.

 _She's right. I know she's right. I've been down this path before and it almost got Ruby and I killed when we were little. I- I can't help like this. I can't help Ruby, I can't help my team… hell, I can't even help myself. I was powerless to bring Ruby home after fighting Torchwick… she's gotten so strong, I barely recognize her. She looked okay though, healthy... so at least there's that I guess._ She gave a pitiful smile as she felt tears welling up behind her eyes, but a soft, meek voice pulled her from her sad spiraling.

"Um… Yang." Thistle's spoke up, looking uncharacteristically nervous, looking down at her hands resting in her lap.

"What's up?" Yang looked at her curiously, her eyebrow raised slightly at her teammate's unusually timid behavior.

"Can I ask you… for some advice?" As she spoke, Yang couldn't believe it but, a light blush tinted her cheeks.

"Y-yeah, I guess… shoot." Yang was listening intently now, a small part of her thankful to Thistle for pulling her out of her head.

"W-well I um, I just… I want to ask someone to the dance, but I don't know how. I'm pretty sure they'll turn me down, heck, they might even laugh at me for even asking." Her nervousness rapidly devolved into depression and hopelessness and Yang could just imagine her running that exact scenario in her head, torturing herself over and over again with the possibility. Her lilac eyes softened as she smiled warmly at her distressed teammate.

"Do you really think the person you like would treat you that way just for opening your heart to them? I'd think you had better taste than that." Yang grinned as she walked up to her friend, placing her hand reassuringly on her small shoulder as she knelt down, bringing herself to eye level with her teammate. "Just be yourself, if they're right for you, that'll be enough."

"Yang…" Thistle barely whispered as she stared into her teammate's eyes in stunned awe. It was so simple but… somehow, she'd never looked at it from that perspective. She was beaming with grateful happiness as she gave an affirming nod to her friend. "Thank you. You're right!"

"I know I am." She said in a mock tone of smugness as she stood up. "You know, I think you're right about this. We do need this. I'm going to help Weiss bring Blake around."

"I guess I need to pick out a dress." Thistle's soft blush returned as her gaze fell back to her lap.

"Yeah, you'd better get on that, because Sunday night is going to be a night to remember." With a smile and wink, Yang turned around and walked out the door, intent on convincing Blake to take this breather.

 _Thank you Thistle. Our team is falling apart, I think this is just what we need… to come back together._

* * *

"Her Semblance is polarity." Emerald said as she sat on the floor of their dorm room with Mercury beside her reading a comic and Cinder looking down at them from the bed with an intrigued smile. "But you'd never knowing by watching her fight."

"After she made contact with my boot she was able to move them around however she wanted." He sat up, making swirling motions with his hand to illustrate what he experienced in his fight with Pyrrha. "But she only made slight adjustments."

"Just enough to make it look like she's untouchable." Emerald grinned, feeling pretty impressed by her clever use of her semblance. "She doesn't broadcast her power so it puts her opponents at a disadvantage."

"People assume she's fated for victory, when in reality she's actually taking fate into her own hands…" Even Cinder sounded impressed. "Interesting… add her to the list!"

"Okay, I'm just going to address the Goliath in the room here," Mercury sat up, putting his comic aside and looking up at Cinder with a serious look on his face. "What about the girl, Yang Xiao Long, the girl who says she's Ruby's sister? What are we going to do about her, she could be a problem."

"On the contrary Mercury, as a matter of fact," She smiled deviously, her amber eyes eyes playful but dark as she looked at her Scroll. "I think we could actually use her and her love for her dear sister to our advantage."


	19. A Night To Remember: Part 1

Thistle's eyes fluttered open blearily as the early morning light streamed in from the window because she had the misfortune of choosing the wrong bed. With an irritated grumble and a few more rapid blinks to clear her eyes, she looked around the room… she was the only one up.

With a deep yawn she stretched her body as she sat up in her bed. Blake was sound asleep behind her, Thistle smiled as she looked at the sleeping faunus, her cat ears twitching freely in the cool air. She was out like a light, and she deserved it. Turning to her other side she saw Yang snoring comfortably away as though she didn't have a care in the world. One bed over, against the adjacent wall behind Yang, a head of white hair peeked out from underneath the covers and Thistle could hear the heiress' soft gentle snores.

"Today is sunday… the dance is tonight." She whispered to herself as a nervous tension squeezed on her heart. With a soft sigh she put her hand to her chest, trying to quell her racing pulse. _It'll be okay. Yang's right, I just have to be myself. If it doesn't work out then it just wasn't meant to… but it's not that simple. It'll still hurt… a lot._

Giving up entirely on trying to comfort herself, the small redhead pulled her covers aside and stood up from her bed. Tiptoeing quietly to the dresser she pulled out her day clothes, rummaging sleepily through her garments until a gentle knocking on their door forced her into alertness.

With a wary glance she quietly made her way to the door, hoping that the light knocking hadn't woken any of her team up from their well deserved sleep. As quietly as she could she turned to doorknob and the door slowly creaked open, internally flinching each tiny sound until it was finally open and she looked up at who stood before her.

"Jaune!?" She gasped in hushed surprise as he waved dopily at her, the much taller boy peering over her into the room. Suddenly he felt himself getting pushed back and the door closed in his face, a small angry girl glared up at him as they stood out in the hallway.

"Hey Thistle, I'm sorry, normally you're all up by now, I didn't mean to wake you up." He rubbed the back his head as he looked at her apologetically.

"It's fine…" She sighed, still slightly annoyed that she was standing in the hallway in her pajamas. "We've had a rough week, they could use as much sleep as they can get."

"Yeah, I hear ya. I guess things haven't been easy on Yang or Blake. How's Weiss holding up?" As he asked about their leader his tone became more bashful.

"They're doing better now after a team meeting, this dance tonight will do us all some good… I hope." She stopped, glancing back to her room with a worried look before a sudden realization sparked in her mind, causing her to looked at Jaune suspiciously. "Why were you asking about Weiss?"

"W-well, it's actually about the dance." He smiled sheepishly, but it quickly faded with a look of trepidation and dejection as he continued. "I really want to ask her to go with me but… I'm scared she'll shoot me down… again… and laugh at me."

"You… want to ask Weiss to the dance?" Thistle blinked at him, her face neutral but her eyes showed a deeply complex mix of emotions that Jaune couldn't even begin to decipher.

"Yeah, I know she's way out of my league but I really like her and I think, if she gave me a chance, she'd like me too. She's beautiful and smart and strong… any guy would be lucky go with her. I just want to tell her how I feel about her but… I don't know how." His shoulders slumped as he gave a defeated breath, his gaze falling to the floor.

"Look Jaune," Thistle said, taking a deep, stressed inhale. "If you seriously feel that way for Weiss, then just tell her what you told me. Be genuine and upfront, no acting like an idiot, she'll feel like you don't take her seriously if you do. Like you said, she's strong, she'll appreciate a genuine and straightforward approach. Just… be you, the real you. If it's meant to work out… it will."

"You're right… I've been acting like an idiot." Jaune shook his head at himself in disappointment and shame. "I'll just, be myself. Thank you Thistle, you're a real friend!"

"Right…" She stared up at him, her expression flicking between annoyance and sadness. "Well, I think I'm going to go get some more sleep. Good luck Jaune, hope things work out best for you, though I can't help but feel bad for Pyrrha."

"Pyrrha? What are you talking about?" He asked as Thistle turned away from him and opened the door to her room.

"It's nothing, if you don't already know I can't explain it. Why don't you ask her?" With an aggravated huff Thistle walked in, using all the willpower her sleepy body could muster to not slam the door behind her in frustration.

 _That guy is seriously clueless…_ She groaned as she vigorously rubbed her hands over her face.

"Who was that?" A sleepy voice spoke up in little more than a whisper. Looking around the room it didn't take Thistle long to find its source as her eyes settled on her leader sitting up in her bed looking mildly confused.

"Nothing, just Jaune. He… he just wanted some advice on something personal." Thistle's smile was soft but wistful as she looked at Weiss.

"I see… I'm going back to bed… just for a little bit longer. We have a busy…" She didn't even finish her sentence as she let sleep overtake her and fell back onto her bed, her head coming to rest gently on her pillow.

Thistle once more stood in the room feeling alone as her teammates happily dreamed around her. As she took one last look at her leader, her smile warmed for just a moment, before she too made her way back to her bed. As her eyes fluttered shut she gazed at the ceiling for a moment, on final thought echoing through her mind as she let sleep pull her gently into the darkness.

 _Suddenly… I'm not so optimistic about tonight…_

* * *

"Alright team!" Weiss declared bombastically as she paced back and forth like a drill sergeant in front of her sitting teammates, all of whom looked less than thrilled. Despite their minor annoyance at their leader, they awoke in far better spirits than they had in a while, feeling rested and refreshed.

"Tonight is the big night and we all have something to do!" She smiled as she came to a stop, pointing dramatically at Yang first. "Yang, I want you to go into town with this shopping list as well as contact all the establishments on the other side of the list to ensure the caterers get to the ballroom!"

"Yes ma'am!" Yang grabbed the small paper from her and gave a sarcastic salute, but even so, a relaxed smile formed from her lips as she felt entertained by her leader's pep and energy.

"Blake!" She called out, their faunus teammate flinching back as Weiss' finger pointed to her. "I want you to read through the guest list and expense forms, make sure everything is in order, you go through books like Yang goes through hot water when she showers so I know you can do it!"

"Hey!" Yang barked indignantly, she knew it was totally true, but still! Regardless, Weiss carried on.

"Thistle, I want you to come help me with the final setup, aside from Yang you're the best fit for heavy lifting." Before waiting for a response from her small teammate she carried on.

"As for myself, I'll be doing all the last minute touches and organization! Alright team, any questions!?" Weiss smile triumphantly, looking extremely proud of herself. Thistle couldn't help but smile along with her, her energy was contagious… but it was short lived as worry swept over her.

"Actually… I have a question." Thistle spoke up softly, raising her hand in the air. Someone actually asking something seemed to throw Weiss off guard but after a moment her confident smile returned.

"What is it Thistle?" Weiss patiently smiled as Thistle hesitated on her question for a long moment. Finally, she looked her leader in the eyes and spoke.

"I- I want to go with Yang into the city, there's something I need to do there anyway. I promise I'll work twice as hard to make up for the lost time!" Thistle held her breath as all eyes in the room turned to her and then back to their leader. Weiss looked down at her teammate, mulling over her request with a furrowed brow and her chin tucked between her thumb and index finger.

"I suppose that would be okay." She sighed, seeming less than thrilled. "Just… try not to take too long alright."

"I promise! I'm really sorry, but I wouldn't ask if it weren't important." Thistle gave Weiss a thankful but apologizing look, but her leader waved it away and just smiled at her.

"I know Thistle, I understand. I'll see you in a bit then." Weiss looked over her team one more time, her smile softening as she saw their faces. They were happy, engaged, relaxed and excited. Their lively eyes a far cry from the dull darkness that had seeped into them over the past few weeks.

"It's a bit of work, but don't forget, we're here to have fun tonight. Let's work together and make this a night to remember!" She shot her fist up in the air and her team followed with eager cheers and smiles.

 _This will work, we're going to make tonight perfect. Nothing is going to go wrong. We're just going to relax, dance… and have fun… just for tonight, we won't have a care in the world._ Weiss closed her eyes and smiled, feeling her own stress melting away more and more each moment.

"Okay Team WYBT! Let's get started!" Her teammates one by one stood up from their beds as she opened the door and led the way out into the hallway with Blake following close behind her, suddenly dreading being put on paperwork duty.

However, as Yang was about to follow them out, she felt a tug on her top from behind. Turning around she found a nervous looking Thistle looking up at her anxiously. Yang shot her a confused look, her eyebrow cocked and her head tilted until she realized what it must be about.

"Um… something on your mind Thistle?" She asked, casually leaning against the doorframe as she folded her arms over her chest.

"W-well it's just that… okay, I feel really bad asking since you already gave me advice yesterday but I was just hoping that maybe… you could help me with one more thing before the dance." She looked down at the floor, unable to force herself to meet Yang's eyes.

"Thistle, what is going on with you? You're not acting like yourself. You're really tied up in knots over whoever this person is aren't you?" Yang looked at her teammate with deepening concern.

"Look… I just need your help with one more thing before the dance." Thistle huffed under her breath, completely ignoring Yang's question.

"What is it?" Yang asked, taking a deep breath as she decided not to push her teammate for deeper answers.

"Well… as you may have noticed, I'm not exactly fashion oriented." She gestured over her entire self.

Yang had to admit, she was right. Her small teammate wore ragged white shorts, a denim button up vest that was never buttoned and was only half the length of her torso. The only other thing she wore was a single strip of purple fabric tied comfortably around her chest, leaving her back and most of her torso exposed. Suddenly, she understood where this conversation was going.

"You don't have a dress… do you?" Yang grinned as a soft blush spread across her teammate's cheeks.

"Look, I just… I just don't know what would look good on me and, I kinda want to surprise them. I want them to see me… differently. You know, see that I'm more than just a fighter and a tomboy." Thistle's voice became distant and soft, a sad tone permeating her every word as she spoke. Yang placed her hand on her friend's small shoulder and she Thistle looked up at her, she gave a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, I'll be happy to help you. You're beautiful Thistle, and we're going to make them see it tonight!" Yang's heart nearly melted as Thistle looked up at her beaming and her large, light purple eyes were wide sparkling.

"Thank you Yang…" Thistle sounded almost on the verge of crying from happiness as she looked down once more. "I really hope so."

* * *

"Uhg! I'm finally finished!" Blake exclaimed as she deflated, falling face first into the thick guest book, her eyes and fingers exhausted. _I think I'm going to take a break from written words for a while…_

"Perfect timing!" Weiss said in an irritatingly chipper tone to Blake. "Thistle already left after helping me get everything ready, said she was heading back to the dorm to get changed. I say we head there ourselves. We have just enough time if we leave now!"

"Can't I just sleep instead…" Blake grumbled halfheartedly. However as quick and surprisingly strong tug at the back of her top yanked her out of her seat as she was begrudgingly dragged off by Weiss.

The sun was low in the sky as they crossed the campus to the dorms, student walked around around in formal dress eagerly awaiting the start of the dance. As Weiss finally released Blake and they walked side by side, an awkward silence grew between them.

"S-so, are you going to be going to the dance with Sun?" Weiss asked, trying to open up conversation to fill the time until they got to the dorm.

"Yes, but I'll be having my first dance with Yang." A small smile formed from Blake's lips. "What about you? Which one of the many boys throwing themselves at you are you going to go with?"

"Actually, I'm planning on asking Neptune to be my date for the dance." She smiled shyly as she looked away from her teammate.

"Really? Well, that'll leave more than a couple people disappointed." Blake shrugged, putting her hands behind her head as she walked.

"Well that's just how it goes. I mean… with my name, most of the boys who come on to me are just interested in my money, power or family. I have to be harshly selective. It's not like I enjoy turning boys down." Her shoulders slumped and her face darkened as her gaze fell to the ground.

"Could have fooled me with the way you shot down Jaune. It was pretty ruthless. Really made you live up to your nickname." There was no mistaking the slightest hint of bitterness and pity in Blake's voice as she spoke.

"What are you saying!?" Weiss looked up at her with an appalled and defensive glare, folding her arms across her chest and stepping slightly away from blake as the entered the hallway to their dorms.

"Nothing Weiss, I'm just saying I feel sorry them. They picked a bad time to get infatuated with you." She let out a soft but heavy sigh as she rounded the corner leading to their room, she could hear Weiss' heels clicking behind her with frustration.

"It's not like it's my fault, and why the sudden concern for Jaune anyway?" She demanded, her outrage building her chest as she struggled to suppress it.

"Yeah, I guess I feel bad for him too." She shrugged once more before coming to a stop at their door, waiting for a moment as Weiss caught up.

"Wait, what do you mean "too"?" She raised her eyebrow at Blake who turned to Weiss, her amber eyes glistening with pity and a flicker of exacerbation.

"Sorry Weiss, it's not my place to say. Just… when it happens, try to reign in the harshness in your selectivity." The bitter tone in her voice grew once more before she snapped her demeanor back to normal when she opened the door to their room.

"Hey girls! Ready to get this party started!" Yang grinned enthusiastically. Her teammates staring at her in shock as they looked at her dress. It was a beautiful and surprisingly simplistic white dress with a light grey hem. Yang did a little twirl before winking at Blake. "Told you I was gonna be turning heads."

"Yang you look so elegant!" Weiss cried out excitedly.

"Yeah, you really look great." Blake said softly with a warm smile, then, she noticed something, or rather, a lack of something. "Hey, where's Thistle?"

"Oh, she left not long before you guys got here. She's going to try to wait for her potential date. I really hope it goes well for her." Yang's smile faded as she looked from Weiss to to Blake, her eyes softening with worry.

"I wouldn't worry, Thistle's tough, she can handle anything! Whatever happens she'll be fine." Weiss smiled and waved her hand dismissively.

"I hope you're right Weiss…" Yang trailed off, looking wistfully out the window at the shattered moon. "We should get going soon. You two get changed."

"Right! Ladies, let's have a night to remember!" Weiss smiled blissfully as she thought excitedly about the dance ahead of her.

* * *

Weiss walked down the stone path that cut through the grass leading to the ballroom. She had split up with Yang and Blake not long after they left their dorm. Yang went to enjoy the party and Blake met up with Sun and they went to dance together. Now, it was Weiss' turn to find her date.

She scanned the throngs of well dressed students, catching a few familiar faces but she couldn't find the head of distinctive blue hair that her hopeful date was known for. With a sigh and her beautiful but extremely un-broken-in heels killing her feet, she slowed her pace, coming to rest under the outcropped roof of a large but desolate building.

 _I should have asked him yesterday… there's no way he doesn't already have a date. I was so focused on my team that I- I didn't get the chance to ask. I knew being a leader was a huge responsibility, but I didn't think it would cost me a date._ She gave an embittered laugh as she leaned against a large stone pillar.

 _I just need to remember, tonight wasn't for me, it was for my team. Yang and Blake needed this, they've been so stressed but they're in the ballroom now… dancing, having a good time… being happy with people that care about them. I guess… I should stop with the self pity and at least try to enjoy myself. I mean… I organized it, I should at least be there, making sure everything is going well._ With a deep, heavy breath she forced herself off the cold stone pillar and turned towards the sound of music from the ballroom.

"W-Weiss…" A meek but familiar voice called her name. She turned around, her dress fluttering as she faced the sound of the voice. As her gaze fell on the girl before her her mouth opened slightly agape and her eyes widened in awe.

"Thistle, you look… radiant." Weiss couldn't think of a better word to describe the small girl. She barely recognized her at first. Thistle's signature side braid was gone and her beautiful bright red shoulder length hair flowed gently in the soft breeze. She wore a gorgeous long, pale purple dress with a deeper violet ribbon running along her waist, ending in a large bow at her lower back. Two smaller ribbons adorned her shoulders. The small girl with big lavender eyes and flawless porcelain skin looked like a doll in the pale white moonlight. It was enough to take Weiss' breath away.

"Th- thank you… you look beautiful too… you know." Thistle's hands were held behind her back as she fidgeted nervously in place, completely unable to meet her leader's eyes.

"Why thank you!" She smiled amiably. "So, did you find your date?"

"I- um… sort of. I mean, I hope so." Thistle stammered, forcing herself meet Weiss' eyes.

"What do you mean?" She blinked in confusion. She'd never seen her teammate like this, the usually fearsome warrior was absolutely timid and even in the low light, Weiss could see a blush forming in her cheeks.

"L- look, I'm really not good at this sort of thing so just take this!" Her hand shot out from behind her back and her eyes averted from her leader as she held out a delicate, white tulip.

"W-what is this?" Weiss stared down at the flower, her eyes growing wide and her cheeks heating up.

"It's a flower…" Thistle said in a painful mix of hope and terror. Taking a long, deep breath, she steeled herself and looked up into Weiss' soft blue eyes, her own eyes burning with fierce determination.

"Weiss… you're amazing. You're passionate and smart and beautiful. You're so strong and you're an amazing leader. Since we've been a team I've seen so much from you that inspires me and makes me want to know you more and… I like you… like you." With one more deep breath, she quelled her trembling hand, the flower still extended before her leader.

"Weiss… will you be my date to the dance tonight?"


	20. A Night To Remember: Part 2

"Weiss, will you be my date to the dance tonight?"

A soft breeze was the only sound that filled the quiet that spanned between them as Weiss looked down at her teammate in stunned silence. Her heart was pounding in her chest and suddenly, the strange things Blake and Yang had been saying… they made a terrifying amount of sense.

 _Thistle… she wants me to be her- her date? She likes me… that way? W-why? When!? How!? Why is this happening?! I- I can't do this, what am I supposed to do?!_ Weiss' eyes fell to the small, delicate flower that was extended to her. It was beautiful, but as the seconds wore on, she saw it begin to tremble.

As her head rose to meet the face of her friend, she found Thistle looking so pitifully fragile. The tiny girl was trembling, her eyes squeezed tight and her teeth clenched so hard her jaw muscles were bulging. Weiss' heart ached as she saw Thistle looking as though she were bracing herself for immense pain… pain that Weiss would cause.

"Thistle… I'm sorry."

As Weiss' words hit her like the most devastating blow she'd ever experienced she shot her eyes open catching a blur of white turning away from her before the girl she opened her heart to… ran away.

Thistle stood alone as her leader rounded a corner and disappeared. Her dress fluttering in the soft wind that caressed her body and flowed through her hair. Her eyes were wide but… blank, as though something had just broken inside her and just for a moment she couldn't feel anything.

Then, came the pain. Waves of heartache, rage and hopelessness washed mercilessly over her. Thistle's small, quivering hand fell to her side, dropping the flower on the ground as she stared still vacantly where Weiss once stood.

"Weiss…" Thistle could barely whisper her name as a tightness in her throat stifled her voice. Silently, tears flowed down her cheeks, falling to the ground and her head hung low. She couldn't stop them, no matter what, the tears kept falling. She felt too weak to even wipe her eyes clear, her arms resting at her sides. A powerful rage flared up in her chest, burning away the heartache, a rage directed solely at herself.

 _W-what did I do wrong? Asking; that's what I did wrong! How could she… how could she like me? I'm angry and I'm loud, I'm a tomboy. I- I thought I could show that there was more to me, I thought that this would be enough… I'm not good enough for her._ She felt as though her heart was being crushed by an ocean's worth of frigid ice water.

Thistle's thoughts quickly devolved into an incomprehensible storm of doubt, anger and pain, all swirling around so fast, she couldn't even begin to find a silver lining as the storm grew more and more intense.

Hissing a popping sounds crackled from all around the small girl as her fists balled up. As her rage grew so did her semblance, forcing the air around her to quake and tremble with energy as it was pushed to the verge of loosing explosion after explosion,it was the the only way she felt she could release the furious jumble of feelings that rampaged through her heart.

With drops still pouring down her cheeks Thistle turned to one of the stone pillars, her soft purple eyes burning with pain and so much anger. She focused on it, the anger, tuning out everything else her heart felt as she pulled her fist back, concentrating her aura and pushing all her rage into her Semblance, readying to release an immensely powerful concussive wave.

Her punch landed and then… nothing, the crackling around her died down as her fist limply slammed into the pillar. All her rage melted away… she couldn't do it, she couldn't bury her heartbreak under her anger. All her strength left her and she weakly fell forward, her forehead coming gently to rest on the cool stone.

 _It hurts…it hurts._ As the words set in, she just let go. Her tears flowed harder as she allowed herself a moment of weakness, her small body convulsing with each labored sob. Inside, she was lashing herself for opening up, for letting herself be vulnerable to someone she cared about… and getting crushed for it.

"Thistle…" A familiar voice spoke up softly from beside her

"What do you want Jaune!?" She growled, trying to sound as intimidating as she could to scare him off, but the soft pathetic sobs that surrounded her words made that impossible.

"I heard everything. I'm really sorry." Jaune stepped closer, putting his hand gently on her shoulder. He'd never pictured his friend from team WYBT this way. She was always strong and hot headed and straightforward. A tough girl, that's who he always picture her as, but as he looked down at the girl crying into a wall, he realized that the one of the toughest people he knew… needed comforting now.

"You must think I'm really stupid don't you? Me, with Weiss… what a joke." Thistle laughed so painfully that Jaune wanted to do something, anything to help his hurting friend.

"Not at all, I can tell you really have feelings for her." He felt a cold ache growing in his chest as he looked down at the ground between them. "Honestly, seeing you right now, makes me realize my feelings were kinda… I don't know, shallow, I guess."

"Jaune, if you have a point, get to it. I really don't want to be around people right now." Taking a trembling breath, Thistle turned to face him. Her eyes were puffy and glistening as her tears kept dripping down her rosy red cheeks. Her small hands rested at her side, gripping the fabric of her dress as she looked up at Jaune.

"Well… if you like her this much, maybe you shouldn't give up until you get a real answer from her?" Jaune looked away uncomfortably as he spoke.

"I don't think she could be much more clear. I opened my heart to her, I let myself be the most vulnerable I'd ever been for someone, and she… she just ran! What the hell do you think that means!?" Her still teary eyes burned with renewed anger as she glared up at him.

"It looked to me like she was scared. She didn't really say anything. Maybe you should go after her, and ask for a real answer, and let her know you'll accept whatever she says. I think you're giving up way too easily. The Thistle I know is a fighter, "I'm sorry" wouldn't be a good enough answer for her." Jaune crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes challengingly at her.

Thistle body became still as she stared dumbfounded up into Jaune's deep blue eyes. For the second time that night, she'd been floored by what should have been just mere words. It was his poignant speech that finally stemmed the flow of tears from her eyes and a small, frail smile formed from her lips.

"You're right. She just ran away. I- I can't be okay with this until I get a yes or no. However she feels about me, I need her to understand my feelings, and I need to understand hers. I need to go see her… one more time." Her hands relaxed, releasing the bunched up fabric of her dress as she found clarity.

"Yeah, you should. I think… I'm gonna give up on her, it's clear that you like Weiss way more than I do. I guess, I'll be going to this dance alone, no surprise there huh?" His gaze became downcast as he spoke, suddenly, he saw Thistle take a step closer to him, bringing them only inches apart.

"Jaune?" Thistle's voice was unsettlingly friendly and nice as she leaned in just a little closer to him with an amiable smile.

"W-what is it Thistle? You're kinda scaring-" Before he could finish his next word a powerful tug on his tie drag him down, almost toppling him over as Thistle pulled him down to her eye level and glared at him with a face that said she was beyond done with his ineptitude.

"Look Arc, I'm only going to say this once because you helped me out and because you're my friend. If you screw up, it's on you, not me, go it!?" She bared her teeth as she violently jerked once more on his tie.

"Ouch ouch, yes I get it! What is it!?" He felt his tie squeezing uncomfortably around his neck, but then, her grip softened. He was more confused than ever as Thistle's aggressive glare had turned into a worried half smile.

"Stop being an idiot and go have a serious talk with Pyrrha. I'd bet money that she's waiting for you." Finally she released him, and as his expression darkened with guilt and trepidation, she knew he finally understood.

"I have been an idiot haven't I? Do you really think she'd still be waiting for me? I mean… I think I've screwed that up enough. I even told her I wanted to ask Weiss out." His head hung low with shame as he realized just how big he'd messed up.

"It can't go worse than how it went for me confessing my feelings for Weiss." She shrugged her shoulders, but a smile lit up her face, her eyes looking up at him with confidence and pride. She shoved him once more as she grinned playfully at him. "Suck it up, man up and go get the girl!"

"Yeah… yeah! I'll do that! Thanks you. I can always count on you to kick my butt when I need it." He smiled at her, rubbing the back of his head bashfully, seemingly back to his usual self.

"No problem. Now I just need to… confront Weiss one more time." The heartache returned as the prospect of being rejected again played in her mind.

"Hey Thistle," Jaune spoke as he placed his hand reassuringly on her shoulder once more, grinning at her as she looked up at him expectantly. He paused for a moment, his sly grin softening into a comforting smile. "Suck it up, man up… and go get the girl."

"I didn't know you could be snarky." Thistle giggled as he retracted his hand.

"Yeah, sometimes I surprise myself." He shrugged, feeling happy and relieved that he managed to comfort his friend.

"You're right, I'm going to go find her!" Her eyes were fierce with conviction as she spun around to face the direction that her leader had gone.

"And Arc... thank you. Now go talk to Pyrrha, you've left her waiting long enough." Without another word she ran off after Weiss, hope and strength pushing onward, even in the face of imminent rejection.

* * *

Weiss walked alone in the dark, her heart heavy with confusion, frustration, pain and guilt. She had long since given up on running, despite the fact that she normally wore heels into battle against giant monsters and villains, these particular shoes were too hard on her feet for extended running.

 _Thistle… why did you have to do this? Tonight was supposed to be a perfect night, nothing was supposed to go wrong. I- I was going to go with Neptune, I was going to dance and laugh and have a good time. Yang and Blake would enjoy themselves and you… you… why would you tell me all that?!_ Her teeth bit down hard and she shut her eyes tight against the turmoil in her mind.

 _How could you ask me… to be your date? We're both girls, we're teammates, we're completely different and yet…_ Thistle's confession played again for what seemed like the hundredth time. _And yet, you like me… you want to know more about me. How can you feel that way for me?_

"Oomph!" Weiss caught herself just before her balance failed her as she plowed head first into someone. "I- I'm sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!"

"Weiss?" A tall woman with long red hair and green eyes in a long, beautiful crimson dress turned to face her, the woman's expression growing increasingly concerned as she looked at the girl before her.

"Oh, Pyrrha, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to walk into you like that, I just… I just have a lot on my mind." She sighed, looking away from the worried eyes of her friend from Team JNPR.

"Is that why you're crying?" Pyrrha probed cautiously, her tone heavy with concern.

"What?" Weiss quickly rubbed her eyes with the back of her fists. Sure enough, she had been crying… and in the haze of confusion and fear, she hadn't even noticed.

"Weiss, what's going on? It's not like you to seem so flustered." She frowned, imagining what their team had been going through lately, she could hardly blame her for being stressed out, but this seemed different.

"It's nothing." Weiss tried in vain to force a smile.

"It's something. Why don't you tell me what's wrong? Who knows, I may be able to help." Her expression brightened for a brief moment, feeling eager to help someone with their problem… to avoid her own.

"I don't think you'd understand." The heiress sighed. She'd never felt so exhausted yet restless at the same time before.

"Well why don't you tell me, I promise I won't judge you." Pyrrha smiled reassuringly, feeling her friend's desire to open up.

"Well…" Weiss began hesitantly, her gaze falling to the ground and her fists trembling as she spoke. "Thistle… she asked me out, or rather, she told me that- that she liked me and wanted me to be her date to the dance."

"Oh." Was all Pyrrha could blurt out as her eyebrows raised in surprise. She wasn't expecting this sort of problem.

"Yeah, so you see my problem. Still think you can help?" Immediately she regretted her bitter tone, she knew her friend was only trying to help her. The already crushing guilt she felt suddenly grew just a little bit heavier.

"Well, what did you tell her?" Pyrrha asked simply. Still, her simple question only made Weiss's expressing look even more painful and guilt ridden.

"I- I just told her I was sorry… and then I ran away." Her head fell in shame, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes again. The image of the small girl with short red hair and purple eyes standing before her in beautiful dress, holding out a flower and bearing her heart to her, it was burned into her mind. _She looked so afraid… but she told me how she felt anyway._

"I see…" Pyrrha's voice was soft but carried an unmistakable note of disappointment.

"What was I supposed to say!?" Weiss shouted as she looked up at Pyrrha, her cool blue eyes glistening in the moonlight as tears pooled on their surface.

"Well, yes or no would have been a good start." She said simply.

"You should have seen her Pyrrha… she looked so vulnerable." Her voice trembled as she fought with everything she had not to break down crying. "I couldn't do it."

"So, I guess it's a no then." Once again she said it so simply, but she couldn't help but feel sad for both of them.

"We're both girls!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Yes, that's true." Pyrrha nodded.

"We're teammates!"

"That's also true."

"We're so different!"

"That's definitely true."

"There's no way it would work out!" Weiss was panting for breath, her heart was racing and she was quickly losing a battle with her eyes to keep from crying… but Pyrrha seemed completely placid.

"I'm hearing a lot of excuses, but still not a yes or a no." Pyrrha stepped forward. Placing her hand on Weiss' shoulder she looked deep into her eyes. She could feel her trembling quell at her touch.

"Listen Weiss, you only have to answer one question, it's more simple than it seems. Just be honest with yourself, and be honest with her. Putting everything else aside, do you feel the same way for her, as she does for you?"

Weiss stared up at Pyrrha, struck silent and reeling from just how ruthlessly she cut to the heart of the problem, not letting her reach for any excuses. Weiss had the reality of it laid out in front of her, and all she had to do… was answer a question, and her friend made it seem so simple.

"I- I don't know… I honestly don't know." Weiss closed her eyes as she lowered her head, thankful that Pyrrha's hand was still on her shoulder, steadying her nerves. "I don't think… I'd hate the idea."

"That's a start." Pyrrha stifled a giggle.

"Thistle… she's a strong and genuine person. I don't know if I'd have the courage to do what she did. I don't know if I could feel for her, what she says she feels for me… but that also means I don't know if I can't." Weiss' eyes fluttered open and a soft smile formed from her lips as she looked back up at Pyrrha, her cheeks tinted with a light blush.

"I- I've never been asked out by a girl before." Her smile grew more bashful and the red in her cheeks deepened.

"You should go find her, and really tell her how you feel. Just be honest, and be yourself." Pyrrha placed her other hand on Weiss' empty shoulder and gave her a warm, reassuring smile. "You can't be wrong if it's the truth."

"You're absolutely right… I acted like an idiot. I need to find her!" As her shoulders were released, Weiss spun around, facing the way she had just ran from with a confident smile and certainty in her heart.

"Oh, and Pyrrha, from one friend to another," Weiss turned her head back to Pyrrha with a slight grin. "You really should take your own advice. Stop standing around here and go find Jaune."

Without another word, she walked forward. Even though her heart was racing with nervous anticipation, a warm feeling was spreading through her chest, and she couldn't help but smile.

* * *

Weiss walked with purpose as she backtracked to where she and Thistle had last spoken, and she felt more and more nervous with each step. Even though the certainty in her heart hadn't wavered yet, she still felt the tension squeezing her chest as she drew closer and closer. Just as she began to become mired in worried and what-ifs, a familiar face drew near from the darkness.

"Oh, Weiss… I um, hey!" Jaune said awkwardly as they approached each other.

"Hello Jaune." She smiled, feeling thankful for his presence brightening her tense mood. Her moment of ease didn't last as she thought again about the small girl in the purple dress, holding a flower out to her.

"Um… have you by any chance seen Thistle?" Weiss asked bashfully, her cheeks warming up.

"Yeah, actually, she went that way, looking for you." Jaune pointed behind him with his thumb.

"She's looking for me?" Weiss blinked in surprise, feeling a weird sensation in her stomach that was at once pleasant and uncomfortable.

"Yeah, seemed like you two need to have a talk." He looked seriously at her, his eyes filled with worry for the both of them.

"Y-yeah… we do." Weiss' gaze fell, feeling guilt welling up in her chest once more.

"Oh, hey, I don't suppose you've seen Pyrrha around have you? You and Thistle aren't the only ones that need to have a talk." Weiss felt her mood lifting as Juane shifted uncomfortably.

"Yeah, actually, she's back there looking for you." She giggled, mimicking his pointing with her thumb behind her.

"Well, Weiss, good luck. I hope it works out for you two, whatever you decide." Jaune smiled brightly at her, but his eyes were fixed in the distance behind her, to the girl that was really on his mind.

"Thank you, and I hope the same for you." She couldn't help but feel happy for him, but envious. There was no doubt in her mind about the two of them, but there was plenty between her and Thistle. A lot of the what-ifs and excuses that Pyrrha had warned her away from were still there, lingering in the back of her mind.

"Oh wait, I almost forgot!" Jaune reached behind, carefully pulling something from his back pocket. With tender care he extended it out to her. "I figured, she might want this back, but since I ran into you first, I think you should have it… if you tell her yes."

"Jaune, that's really sweet and thoughtful!" She looked at him, her eyes glittering with gratitude as she gave him a warm smile. "Well, now I just need to find her, and give her my proper answer!"

The two walked by each other, their hearts pulling them to where they needed to be. Though they said nothing else, they could feel each other's hope for them, and it gave them both strength as they walked forward through the night.

Weiss followed Jaune's directions, vague as they were. The soft grass tickling her feet through her heels as she made her way back to where she and Thistle parted. As she walked between the stone pillars her heart sank, both from the fresh, painful memories she had with the spot, and because she began to feel disheartened… the girl she was looking for wasn't there.

 _Where could she have gone?_ Weiss fretted as she carried on, dread rising in her heart with the thought of not seeing her again this night. _What if she went back to the dorm? I- I'm such a fool, why did I have to run. Pyrrha made it so simple, all I had to do was be honest with her… and with myself. Instead, I ran away, probably broke her heart and ruined the night for both of us!_

"Why do I mess everything up? Thistle… I'm so sorry." Weiss came to a dead stop. She could feel tears pooling in her eyes as sorrow washed over her.

"I'll forgive you… if you don't run away this time."

Weiss jumped at the familiar voice beside, hope soaring in her chest as she spun around to face her. It was like a dream, Thistle stood before her, looking just as radiant as before in her pale purple dress. Weiss' heart began to pound and that pleasant but uncomfortable feeling permeated through her belly.

"I promise, no running away this time." She smiled softly, wiping the cloudiness out of her eyes with one hand, her other tucked behind her back.

"Weiss… I- I meant what I said. I won't take it back. I like you, a lot." She was different than before, less timid. There was a fire in her eyes, it was soft and warm but powerful and it compelled her forward.

"I'm not sorry I told you how I felt, because it's honestly how I feel about you. I just… I just want an answer. I'll accept whatever you say and I won't have any hard feelings! Weiss, I like you and, I want to be closer to you, more than we are now. Tell me, how do you feel about me?" Again her small fists balled around the hem of her dress, scrunching up the fabric as she braced herself once more. Good or bad, she'd get her answer now.

"I- I'm flattered that you feel that way about me, I really am, and I'm glad you had the courage to tell me how you felt. I'm sorry I ran away. Honestly, I was scared. Now though… Thistle, you're wonderful person and teammate but… I'm not sure I have for you the feelings that you have for me." As weiss finished Thistle's heart felt like it had been turned to cold lead in her chest and her eyes began to cloud with tears.

"But… I think I'd like to try." Weiss felt a comfortable warmth spread through her chest, a smile brightened her face and her cheeks were tinted pink with a soft blush. "I think… I could feel that way for you. This, this is a good place to start."

Hope and absolutely elation surged through her like lightening as Weiss pulled her hand from behind her back, and extended it out to her. Held delicately in her fingers was the white tulip that Thistle had dropped. Weiss smiled with warmth and eagerness as her eyes met her teammate's.

"Thistle, will you be my date for the dance this evening?" Thistle looked into her soft blue eyes and there was nothing but caring and hope in them, and she couldn't help but beam brightly back at her leader.

"Y-yes…" She sniffled as she fought through the tears of pure joy to speak, wiping them away with the back of her fist. "Yes, I would be happy to."

"Then shall we go?" Weiss couldn't describe the feeling the filled her as she watched Thistle tenderly accept the flower from her, but she didn't want it to end.

* * *

The pair walked closely side by side, their steps syncing as they neared the ballroom. The short walk there had been quiet, but it wasn't uncomfortable, they just enjoyed the warm night air, and being next to each other. Finally, they reached the doors to the ballroom, a lovely, slow song played within.

Weiss turned to Thistle, her date staring up nervously at the door. Weiss smiled softly, her cheeks turning pink as a blissful fire burned in her chest. With a deep breath she inched closer to her date, their fingers gently touching and at once, after only a moment, their fingers intertwined. With their hearts brimming with joy, and their hands comfortably held together, the pair confidently pushed open to door.

The room was filled with people and eyes were inevitably drawn to the to two young ladies who walked in hand in hand. Weiss carried herself dignified, taking the attention in stride but Thistle couldn't help but blush deeply as the two made their way to an empty spot on the dance floor.

Around the room, their friends watched them. Sun nudging blake, stopping their dance as he pointed them out. They both smiled warmly and as Blake and Weiss' eyes met, Blake gave a soft approving nod. At the other side of the room, Nora nearly shoved Ren over as she excitedly pointed to them, absolutely beaming while Ren nodded quietly with a happy and knowing expression.

Above them all, Yang watched from the balcony as her two teammates danced in perfect harmony with one another. She was smiling wistfully at them, her eyes gleaming with pride as she propped her elbow against the railing and rested her head in her hand, just watching them dance.

"Good for you Thistle, I told you it would be okay. You two look happy together, I'm glad." Yang's smile softened as she looked out over the crowd, a pang of melancholy gripping her heart.

"Thistle." Weiss smiled warmly at her dance partner and date, their hands intertwined as they moved with the music, gazing into each other's eyes.

"What's up?" Thistle couldn't stop beaming, she was too happy. She held her date close as they moved across the dance floor, barely aware of anything else around her.

"I like this." Weiss' blush deepened, but she didn't look away from Thistle's sparkling purple eyes. "I- I'd like to see where this goes… with us."

Thistle didn't say a word, all she could do was hold her hand a little tighter as smile just a little brighter. Her heart was racing and everything felt good. She couldn't express the feeling that tingled in her chest, but she wanted to share it with Weiss, and she felt, that her leader felt the same. As they danced, both couldn't help but think, that indeed, it was a night to remember.


	21. A Night To Remember: Part 3

Everyone was happy and having a good time. Weiss and Thistle hadn't left each other's side whole evening and they never seemed to stop smiling. Blake and Sun were conversing with Neptune. Blake appeared more lively than ever, definitely more so than in the past weeks. Nora and Ren were enjoying themselves as well and for the second time that night, all eyes were drawn to the door at an unexpected couple; Jaune and Pyrrha walked in hand on arm, and they danced, both completely taken with each other.

The two couples, Thistle and Weiss and Jaune and Pyrrha, for a moment, seemed to exchange proud and knowing smiles before returning to their partners. The night was lively and full of happiness… for all except one blonde beauty who stood on the balcony overlooking the dance with a distant, wistful look in her lilac eyes.

 _I'm sorry guys._ Yang sighed, a soft of somber smile formed from her lips. _I know tonight was supposed to be a night to let go, relax, have fun, dance and take a step back from our problems… but I can't stop thinking about her._

The sudden sounds of footsteps beside her snapped Yang out of her head as turned her head to the approaching person, entirely expecting one of her teammates to scold her for letting the night pass her by as she wallowed in her problems… but to her surprise, it wasn't her team. A tall boy with silver hair in a nice suit with an orange bow-tie stood before her.

"Oh, hey. Um… Mercury right?" Yang decided to hazard a guess. She'd really seen the student visiting from Haven Academy twice and neither time was she particularly focused.

"Yeah, and you're Yang right? Why are you up here watching everyone else have fun? It can't be because you couldn't get a date." He laughed as he came to rest his back on the railing beside her.

"No, it's nothing like that, I just… don't feel much like dancing tonight, that's all." She gave a long, heavy sigh. She couldn't help wishing she could just go to bed.

"Still thinking about your sister?" Mercury prodded cautiously.

"W-what?" That got Yang's attention. She turned from the bannister to look at him. There wasn't anything in his eyes but empathy and worry, but something felt… off.

"I remember bumping into you in the halls that first time we met, you said she was missing. By the look on your face, seems like you haven't found her." He still leaned with his back facing the dance floor, he didn't even turn to Yang, he just kept his cool grey eyes forward as he awaited her response.

"Yeah…" She looked down to the floor, strands of long blonde hair came to rest in front of her face. "We haven't found her yet."

He could feel the weight of her words, there was something deeper to them and he couldn't help but wonder if she knew more than she was letting on. Still, he waited patiently, pushing forward gingerly to get her to open up.

"I'm sorry. It sounds like you really miss her." His voice softened with sympathy, but still, something didn't feel right to Yang.

"Of course I miss her, she's my little sister. My team, they told me to just relax tonight, to rest just for one day, because I was driving myself into the ground with worry. They're right, so I got some rest, I tried to enjoy the night… but I can't. I know she's out there and I can't stop thinking about her!" Yang's voice was choked, she felt like she would explode at any moment; whether it would be with anger or tears she couldn't be sure.

"Tell me about her." Mercury said simply and calmly as he turned to face her, his expression was hard to read, it was cool and subtle, but there was a softness in his eyes, a caring that Yang found strangely easing.

"What do you mean?" Despite her defensive tone, her eyes flashed with a glimmer of hope, just for a moment, but Mercury could tell, she wanted to talk about her.

"What else could "Tell me about her" mean? Like, what's she like, where are you both from? Your family? Things like that." He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands behind his head as he looked down at her.

"Why do you want to know?" He could see her defenses breaking, she wanted someone to talk to, she was desperate to feel like she was doing something, and talking about her was as close as she could get at that moment.

"Well, maybe talking about her would help. I mean, if not that's fine, I'll just you so you could get back to an exciting evening of moping and watching everyone else have fun." As slowly as he could get away with, he began to turn around, showing her he was ready to leave. This was it, the hard sell… and she folded.

"Wait! I mean, I'm sorry, it's just that… I haven't had anyone to talk about her with. My team, they're not really interested in hearing about her anymore, I understand but I miss her, I think you're right, If you'd listen, I'd like someone to talk about her with. Even our dad, he's been pretty broken up after Ruby went missing. I- I haven't talked to him in a while… I can't bear to." Yang's arm wrapped around her chest as she grabbed hold of the arm resting at her side, she looked down blankly at the dance floor, he gaze distant and broken.

"Well, I'm all ears, if you're willing to talk." Mercury's was so gentle and compassionate as he turned back to face her, Yang couldn't help but feel her apprehension melting away as her eyes slowly drifted up to meet his.

"Well… we were born on the island of Patch off the coast of Vale. Our father is a Huntsman so was Ruby's mom, and my mom and our Uncle. In fact, they were all on a team together back in the day. For a long time, I thought Ruby's mom was my mom too, turns out, my mom left my dad shortly after I was born. Things got really bad when Ruby's mom went on a mission… and never returned. So there it is, my dad lost his two loves, and now his daughter. It's left him devastated. It's left me devastated too honestly." Yang felt her walls breaking down, she'd been holding it together for so long, but now she felt she had someone who actually wanted to listen.

 _I know I can't tell him everything. I haven't told dad or anyone about… where Ruby is or what she's been doing. How am I supposed to tell my dad that she's a criminal now?! What will happen to Ruby? She's apparently killed people, she's aiding with White Fang, stealing Dust, attacking me and my team. I just- I just wish I knew what was going on!_

"That must be… really hard on your dad. All of that is pretty bleak." Mercury's strangely neutral voice ripped Yang from her thoughts. He could see her deteriorating as she spoke.

"Yeah, it is. Anyway, Ruby is a sweet, bubbly, awkward girl. She wants to see the best in things and she just… she has this way of bringing light with her wherever she goes, everyone seems better off having her around. She's shy, loves weapons more than people most of the time, but she's always wanted to be like the heroes in the books saving the world from monsters and villains and protecting people. She's always dreamed of being a hero…" Yang could feel herself losing a battle against her eyes as tears clouded her vision. Still, she took a deep, heavy breath, steeling herself as she looked up at Mercury her face darkened with pain and confusion.

"Ruby's a good person… she's just lost right now, in a lot of ways. I need to find her, I know I can make her come home, I just need to talk to her." Her eyes shot wide open and her heart skipped a beat as she realized what she had said. However, her fears were put down as she saw the boy in front of her looking completely neutral, though through her bleary eyes she could have sworn that for just a moment, he looked angry.

"If she wants to come back…" Mercury spoke in barely a soft whisper under his embittered, spiteful breath. He wasn't sure why he felt the burning in his chest, the anger at Yang's words, but he knew… for whatever reason, he was feeling protective.

"What?" Yang blinked rapidly to clear her eyes but as her vision returned to her, she opened her eyes to find Mercury walking away.

"It's nothing. I'm heading back to the dance. I hope you find her." He raised his hand up and gave her a tepid, unenthused wave before he descended down the stairs, finally out of sight, his teeth clenches as he stoked in the fire of anger in his heart. _When you do, she'll show you, she's not coming back._

"Okay?" Yang watched him disappear down the stairs, feeling more than a little bit confused as to why he left so abruptly. As she released a very long and very stressed breath she turned back to the dance.

Thistle and Weiss were still together, and they still looked almost too content with each other, for a moment, watching them lifted Yang's mood. Not far from them, Blake and Sun were talking to Nora and Ren and they all appeared to be having a good time.

"I think," Yang smiled softly as she turned to the stairs. "I think I need some air."

* * *

The night was cool as the soft breeze flowed around Yang. She walked aimlessly out the ball room, staring up at the night sky and wondering if Ruby was looking up right then as well. She didn't really care where she went, she knew nowhere she could end up would numb the feeling of loss in her heart, but still, she felt a little more at peace away from the party. She just wasn't herself.

 _What do we do? Where do we start? What will I even do when I find Ruby? How can I make her come home? Why hasn't she come home yet? She didn't even flinch when I called to her after beating Torchwick, she didn't hesitate to put us down. She didn't hesitate to knock Blake and Sun out or attack Thistle and Penny. I'm amazed at how strong she is. If- if she doesn't listen to me, could I even bring her back by force at this point? I just-_

"W-what is this?" Yang stopped, adrenaline surged through her as she found herself at the foot of the CCT tower, and unconscious bodies of the guards littered the ground. Quickly pulling out her scroll she punched in her coordinates and called her rocket locker to her.

She rushed over to her locker, embedded into a freshly formed crater in the ground. As she reached it, it swung open, revealing her Ember Celica and ammo. Clicking them into place on her wrists and readying herself for a fight, she walked through the front door.

As she walked inside she found another trail of knocked out bodies. She readied her fits to lash out at anything that moved as she slowly made her way to her elevator. Walking inside she couldn't help but wish she had her normal clothes. Cute as she knew she was, she also knew her dress wasn't practical combat wear.

Yang felt her tension rising as the elevator ascended, her instincts told her a fight was waiting for her. She was getting close, and somehow, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but feel, that Ruby was connected to this too.

With that thought rage and fury ignited within her, she felt a chance to get another step closer to her sister was hand, and she would pound anyone into the dirt to get Ruby back. As she came to a jarring stop and the doors slowly slid open, she scanned the dark room, only the dim glow of the surrounding monitors giving the room any light. With a defiant huff she walked forward and the rounds in her gauntlets loaded into place.

"Who's there!? Show your self," Her weapon made a distinctive metal sound as she readied to fire, her teeth bared in rage. "Now!"

In her periphery, her eyes caught the slightest movement in the darkness, she turned, ready to unload the full power of her Ember Celica at the drop of a pin. However, she wasn't prepared for what she saw; A young woman in a nearly skin tight black suit, wearing a mask.

"Who are you!?" Yang growled again at the woman, recovering from her surprise. "I won't ask again!"

With a devious smile the woman pulled out a vial of dust and flung it through the air, her clothes lighting up with energy as shards of glass shot at her. With rapid punches Yang knocked them out of the air one by one with the blasts from her gauntlets, but it was too many, three exploding into the ground at her feet and sending her flying!

Yang Xaio Long slowly rose from the ground, her head lowered and her aura glowing around her. Her head shot up, her eyes glowing red with blazing ferocity as she activated her semblance.

"Where's Ruby!?" With a belligerent scream Yang launched herself forward, diving down from above and shooting a flurry of explosive blows, but she wasn't fast enough as the mysterious woman effortlessly jumped out of the way. All Yang could hear through the haze of battle… was a laugh. A laugh mocking her, mocking her weakness… _She's toying with me!_

Suddenly, a sound from behind her stole her attention as an elevator door opened. Turning her head she saw General Ironwood appear. Relief swept over her and she turned back with a cocksure grin to the mysterious woman, however…

 _Sh-she's gone…_ Yang looked desolately at around the room, her heart racing before she collapsed onto the floor with a blank but unmistakably crushed expression as she stared up at the ceiling. _Why… why do I keep coming so close… and then any chance I have to find my baby sis… it just slips away?_


	22. Doubt

"This is it! I won't lose!" Ruby glared down at opponent, her chest burning as she took in heavy labored breaths. Her whole body was sore and sweat stung her eyes, but she wouldn't yield, not even an inch. _I- I have to win! Roman is counting on me! If I can't do this… No! I will win, and I'll so no mercy!_

Rearing her deadly scythe back, Ruby's entire body tensed as she readied to lunge forward. Sizing up her fearsome adversary she took slow, tepid steps forward, her teeth bared and her eyes narrowed. As she tuned out everything else around her and focused solely on the threat before her, she knew this would be their final exchange. _It's now or never!_

"Ahhhh!" With a defiant battle cry Ruby bolted forward as she swung the massive blade of her Inferno Crescent with all her might sweeping it across with such force it could slice a lesser opponent in two!

Then… she missed. Her scythe cut through the air as a small woman with pink and brown hair wielding an umbrella ducked effortlessly out of the way. Gritting her teeth Ruby followed through with the swing, using the momentum to spin her body and pour that force into a strong sweeping low kick!

Deftly Neo dodged her kick, falling back into a flip before landing on her feet and charging at Ruby with her folded umbrella. With no margin for error Ruby used the last remaining drops of momentum to turn her body out of the way and bring up the butt of her scythe, parrying Neo's umbrella and giving Ruby and opening.

As she brought her scythe back as a counter weight Ruby unleashed a flurry of kicks, each of which Neo countered with her own, however, she could tell her smaller opponent was struggling. With a cocky smile Ruby kept up the attack, for once, she had Neo on the defensive!

 _This is it!_ With all her might Ruby twisted and spun her body into a swinging jump kick which predictably Neo dodged with ease, but Ruby's smile only grew as she loosened her grip on her weapon as its blade followed behind her kick and the rotational force pulling it out further than her legs, the deadly razor sharp edge aimed right at her neck! There was no time to dodge gracefully and just before the impact Neo fell backwards.

 _Now!_ Her body was strained as she forced herself to come to a dead stop in mid air as she wrapped her legs around her Inferno Crescent and fell down with all her weight, one leg above the hilt supplying the force with her leg below it guiding it as she swung down, her back and hips and legs working together and she landed shoulder first against the hard ground and the her weapon came to a painful stop as her leg took all of the force, stopping it just inches from Neo's face.

They laid on the ground for a long moment, breathing heavily as they both stared at the looming blade. Ruby blinked vacantly at her scythe and then looked at Neo who had a look of fear and and stunned surprise on her her face, her heterochromatic eyes wide in shock and fixed firmly up at the point of Ruby's blade.

"I- I did it…" Ruby whispered in utter disbelief, her heart pounding and her body shaking with adrenaline. As the shock wore off her face lit up with a bright beaming smile followed by exhausted fits of soft laughter. "I did it! Neo I won!"

Neo rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help but give her victorious opponent a small, proud smile. Her eyes flickered playfully and her warm smile morphed into a mischievous grin just before she shut her eyes and let her whole body go limp, slowing her breathing as much as possible as she went motionless.

"Neo what are you doing?" Ruby laughed as she shakily moved her lower body and dropped her Inferno Crescent to the ground. Getting herself on all four she crawled over the to the totally dead woman… _Well, maybe her pride is totally dead after that!_

"Well done Red." Ruby turned to a familiar voice, sitting down on the ground beside Neo's limp body as Roman Torchwick stood looking over them with a proud smile. "Not many people can put Neo down like that. Seems like your practice is really paying off."

"Thank you!" Ruby smiled bashfully. "I- I um, it was really hard though, We've fought dozens of times and this is my first win so I have a long way to go. But I'll keep doing my b-"

Ruby was cut off and immediately let out a yelp as in a blur of pink, white and brown Neo swung her legs around Ruby's neck and threw her forcibly into the ground. With a smug look of superiority Neo sat atop the young girl as she pick up her umbrella and unsheathed a hidden blade and put it to Ruby's neck.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Ruby growled as Neo pressed the flat of her blade into her neck and with her free hand gently patted her head.

"First rule of fighting kid, always fight dirty. You can't count on anyone else not doing the same." Roman said with a dark grin as he leaned against his cane.

"Okay I get it…" Ruby grumbled as she lay helpless in Neo's lock. "I still count this as a win for me though!"

"Does it look like you won?" Roman's tone became more serious as he lit up his cigar. Ruby felt a weight leave her and the cold metal against her neck retreat as Neo got up. "Look, you're strong, no doubt about that, but you're still not thinking like a criminal. It's going to get you killed if you think fights should be fair."

"Right…" Ruby felt all the excitement of victory drain away, replaced with depression and dejection as she shakily stood up, her gaze fixed on the ground in shame.

"I'm going to borrow Neo, try to keep out of trouble alright?" Roman took a long drag off his cigar, tapping the ashes onto the stone floor of the massive cave they had called home for the past week.

His tone was cold and distant, Ruby knew he had been stressed about organizing the White Fang and getting ready for phase two. All the dust they had stole was going into their plan to lead a Grimm attack right into the heart of Vale. She felt an uncomfortable feeling in her chest every time she thought about it… so she tried not to think about it.

"Yes Torchwick, I'll stay out of trouble." She said as she solemnly bowed her head, thankful for her bangs hiding the confusion and sadness in her eyes.

"Don't sound so glum kid, we'll be done soon enough." With a jerk of his head he motioned for Neo to follow as he turned around. However, just as she was leaving, Neo gave Ruby a gentle rub on her head, tussling her hair as she walked by.

As they left her standing alone in the dimly lit part of the cavern they had sparred in, she felt a deep loneliness rising in her heart. With a soft sigh, she grabbed her scythe off the ground, transforming it into its compact form and placing it on her back under her cape. Taking one last look to the only two people in the world she considered family as they disappeared into a large train, busily being loaded with Dust by the White Fang, Ruby turned away and started walking, aimlessly.

* * *

 _I'm not thinking like a criminal huh?_ Ruby walked alone, mired in her thoughts, even though she wanted nothing else but to ignore her troubles. _What does that even mean? I've broken the law, I've fought and stolen and… and killed… why don't I feel like I fit in? It's just these moments, I feel like there's just something just different about me and people like Neo and Roman. What do I have to do to stop feeling like an outsider?_

"This is where I belong but… why don't I feel right?" She felt as though she were sinking fast into a cold ocean as the doubts she'd been suppressing came gushing to the forefront of her mind. Her entire body felt week and she could feel herself beginning to spiral. Desperately, she looked around for anything that could distract her, to pull her from her own mind before she dived too deep… and then she found her distraction.

Her eyes fixed on a young faunus boy, about her age sitting atop several crates. Judging by the single horn coming from the middle of his head, she'd guess rhino? By his side lay the mask of the White Fang. As Ruby approached, she saw him shaking a very nearly empty bottle of water for every last drop he could get.

"Here." Ruby said cheerfully, smiling as she came up beside him, her hand extended to him holding her very nearly full bottle. The faunus boy with short, messy black hair and tan skin looked at her wearily for a long moment.

"You're that human girl always hanging around that Torchwick guy…" His words were sharp with no small amount of suspicion as he leaned slightly away from her, eliciting a confused look from Ruby.

"Yeah, I guess, but I also go by Ruby, it's shorter… I guess." She smiled awkwardly at him, internally lashing herself as she grew more and more uncomfortable.

"What do you want?" His hazel eyes looked down at the bottle in her hand, she could tell, despite his reservations, he wanted to accept.

"Um, you looked thirsty, I just thought I would offer you some water?" She stepped forward a little closer, her smile softening as she sat down on the crate adjacent to his.

He looked from her to the bottle, glacing very quickly at the empty bottle in his hand. She could see him debating within himself. Slowly and tepidly, his hand rose up and just as his fingers touched the cool metal container he flinched back, just for a moment, before snatching it up as quickly as he could, nearly dropping it in the process. Ruby watched him drink, her expression soft with empathy and sorrow for the boy. What must have happened to make him so disbelieving of a simple kind gesture?

"Why did you do that?" He asked as he let out a deeply refreshed breath, screwing on the cap to the bottle before looking nervously up at her.

"Well, you looked thirsty and… well, this might sound kind of stupid but you're the first person around my age that I've seen since Emerald and Mercury left for Beacon… I thought maybe we could talk." She looked down bashfully at the ground, fidgeting with her hands as she avoided his gaze.

"I see…" He said contemplatively as he looked down at his lap. With a soft sigh he extended his hand out to her, returning her bottle out to her, but not looking to meet her eyes. "My name's Ashferd… by the way."

"Nice to meet you!" Ruby's mood and expression both immediately brightened as she took back her bottle which still had about half the water left in it. "My name's Ruby… oh, but I guess I already said that… oops."

"Yeah, you did. Anyway, yeah, you're the only other… person that I've seen around my age since I've joined the White Fang, especially since I've come down here." He looked around the massive underground cavern filled with dilapidated buildings and artificial light with a look of exhaustion and longing.

"If- if you don't mind me asking… why are you here?" Ruby prodded nervously, hoping she didn't just ruin their new and barely existent friendship.

"You want to know why I'm here?" He turned to her, their eyes meeting in silence for a long moment as he stared at her with a complex expression that feel somewhere between curiosity and defensiveness. Taking a soft breath, his gaze softened as he spoke.

"Tell me why you're here first? What's a little girl doing in a place like this? You're a human, so what's your reason for being here?" His simple question brought Ruby back to the place in her mind she didn't want to go… the place of doubt.

"I- I'm here for Roman and Neo, to protect them if anything goes wrong and to help them carry out our mission." Her head hung low as she stared at her hands folded in her lap, the dark cloud of uncertainty filling her heart and mind.

"But why are you with them? You don't really seem like the type."

"I am the type!" Ruby bolted up, her fists balled as she glared at him. After a moment, as her defenses fell and she met his eyes, she realized what she must sound like… _I sound like I'm not just trying to convince him… don't I?_

"I- I'm sorry Ashferd, I didn't mean to yell." With a trembling inhale she steadied herself and relaxed her body. "It's just… I've been feeling like you're not the only one who thinks that."

"Well, it's none of my business I guess." He shrugged as he hopped down from the crates, standing across from Ruby.

"So… why are you here? I told you mine, sort of." Given how she'd just acted, she couldn't blame him if he didn't want to talk to her.

"Alright, I guess I could tell you, but it's not exactly a kind story to humans." He looked to Ruby, for a moment she could see a look of guilt flash across his eyes. With a small nod she prompted him to speak as she waited and listened.

"Okay…" As his mind drew from his past his gaze drifted upward, his face darkened with sorrow and bitter nostalgia. "My father was a strong man and a proud faunus. He worked hard and took every job he could get seriously. He met my mom in the city of Vacuo. Soon enough, they had two kids, my older brother and myself a few years later. Well, eventually, he found it harder and harder to find a job, so he ended up where most people in his position did… inside a Schnee Dust Company mine."

Ruby could hear the bitterness and hatred in his voice at the mention of the Dust giant. His jaw clenched and his fists balled tightly as rage and pain burned within him. Ruby wanted to do… something, anything to help him, but she knew there was nothing more she could do that stand there and listen.

"He worked in there for years for low pay, lower than his human co-workers. He had long hours, sometimes he was gone for days at a time just working down there, trying to support my mom and his sons. He was a good man and everyone looked up to him, even the humans he worked with. He sorta became like their leader, and as the mine's productivity slowed down and the conditions got worse, they looked to him to talk to the higher ups. It was useless, they would sooner fire anyone who complained than actually do anything to help their workers. It wasn't long before… before something bad happened." Ashferd's voice was trembling as he spoke, but still, he pressed on.

"A cave-in buried and killed three people, one of them was my dad. With no compensation or anything from the SDC, my mom was only left with her savings, but she couldn't stay in Vacuo anymore. We moved here to Vale when I was seven years old, and my brother was eleven. Without a dad, things were hard, but our mom managed to do the best she could. We had to live in the ghettos and eventually, my brother got mixed up in our local gang. They promised they could protect him and help him feed our family. Two months… he was with them for two months, and then, one night, the police came to our door… they found my brother dead on the side of the road with the word "Animal" scrawled on his forehead. My mom lost it after that, she barely talks anymore. So, I came to join the White Fang so that what happened to our family never happens to another faunus ever again!"

There was nothing but pain and rage in his voice, his eyes and his face. He hated humans with all his heart… and she couldn't blame him. She wanted to cry for him, and she almost did, but in a small way, she couldn't help but feel envious of his certitude.

"So… you're okay with helping kill a lot of innocent people, because you believe that's the best way you can help the faunus?" Her gaze slowly fell and a forlorn smile formed from her lips as she compared her reasons to his… it almost made her laugh.

"Yes. The White Fang are the only ones doing anything to help the faunus! If there's even a chance to change this world for us, I'll do it, no matter what!" He stomped his foot against the ground as he spoke without even the slightest hesitation. When faced with reality, he didn't waver. That was more than she could say for herself.

"I wish… I was as sure as you are." The words Ruby had been holding back in her mind slipped out before she even noticed she had said them. Something she didn't even want to admit to herself, and she just told a near stranger.

"Well either get sure or get out, this isn't the place for doubts!" With a venomous glare he stormed away, leaving Ruby once again alone… and more confused than ever.

 _I think… I think I need to get outside and get some fresh air… and answer some tough questions I've been avoiding._

* * *

Wind swirled around Ruby, her black and red cape fluttering behind her as she sat and stared at the sun setting on the horizon, its brilliant light painting the sky beautiful shades of orange, pink, purple and blue. The chirping of birds surrounded her and filled the desolate, degraded city of Mountain Glenn.

 _Okay, so the view is nice… but I still haven't really figured anything out. I know I don't want to leave Neo and Roman, I- I love them, they're the only family I know. But Ashferd is right, I'm not like them, even when I'm stealing or… killing, there's just some difference between us, and I just can't feel at home, I can't feel like I truly belong if I feel like an outsider._

"Who am I?" Ruby's heart ached as she wistfully watched the sun fall. _I want to stay with Roman and Neo, but staying with them, means staying with this life, and it means I'll hurt a lot of people, people that aren't a threat to Roman. I'm helping set innocent people up to die. How can I make myself okay with any of this? I can't ask Roman, I can't ask Neo. Ashferd told me that this isn't the place for doubts… so I need to deal with my doubts… I- I wish I had someone to-_

Her thoughts were cut short and she nearly lost her balance as a frantic vibrating trembled inside her pocket. Calming her now racing heart she fumbled with her Scroll, being very careful not to drop it as she answered.

"H-hello?" She asked with no small amount of confusion.

"Hey Ruby, I'm surprised you actually answered, didn't think you'd have service out there."

"Oh! Mercury! Hi! Um, yeah, it's… it's nice to hear from you." She gave a soft, thankful smile as she held her scroll closer to her ear. "Yeah, I'm surprised I have signal too, I guess it's because I'm sitting on top of a crumbling skyscraper."

Ruby looked down, way down, she was at least twenty stories up, sitting perched on an exposed support beam. Far below she could see Grimm prowling, she'd killed all the ones she could find on her way to the building, so she wasn't worried about them.

"Yeah, that might do it, but that's a long way to go for service. What's wrong, is being surrounded by hostile Grimm in an abandoned underground city not as thrilling as you thought?" Mercury chuckled, eliciting an annoyed glare from Ruby.

"Still probably more fun than a dance! How was that anyway? Did everything go as planned?" Ruby smiled softly, swinging her legs back and forth as they dangled precariously off the edge of the building.

"Yeah, there was a small annoyance but nothing Cinder couldn't handle." For a second, she could swear Mercury's voice had a note of apprehension to it.

"That's great…" Her voice was soft but unmistakably dejected as her troubles continued to haunt her.

"You don't sound like yourself, what's wrong?" The tinge of worry in his normally cool and snarky voice made her feel a little more at easy.

"I- I want to tell you, because it's been bothering me and I really need someone to talk about this with, but please, can you promise me not to tell Emerald or Cinder!?" She wasn't sure why, but she was shaking, as the silence between them stretched for second after second, her mind began to conjure up all the ways in which telling him could backfire horribly.

"Well, that depends on what it is." He cautious and reserved. For a moment, she wanted to tell him to just forget it… _But when will I get a chance to talk to him again? I- I don't want these doubts to keep playing in my head over and over!_

"I guess… that's fair." She took a long, deep breath, steeling herself and doing her best to quell her shaking before she began. "I- I've been having a hard time. I know I want to be here, I want to be part of this life and I want to protect Neo and Roman, but… I don't think I'm like them. I just can't come to terms with what we're doing, I'm helping with a plan that's going to get a lot of innocent people killed, and I don't want to leave, but I don't know how I can be okay with this! I don't want to feel like an outsider anymore!"

Again… silence. Ruby waiting in absolute dread as Mercury said nothing. She wished she could see his face, his expression, so she could know what exactly he felt right then. Was he angry, was he shocked? Her heart pounded so hard in her chest she worried the blood rushing through her ears might impede her hearing as the tension mounted.

"Okay," He said finally, his voice sounding calm and receptive, which was an immense relief for Ruby. "I promise I won't tell Emerald or Cinder."

"Thank you…" She smiled once again as she breathed a sigh of relief. "I was getting really scared. I just want to try and work through this, I don't think anyone else could really help me."

"What makes you think I can help?" He asked, sounding dubious at best.

"Well, you're easy to talk to." Ruby said it so simply and happily. It was true, she found Mercury less intimidating than Emerald and far, far less so than Cinder.

"Thanks… I guess." His tone was strange, it had a quality she couldn't pin down, but as he gave a gentle sigh, his voice seemed to return to normal. "Anyway, you're having doubts. Honestly, I understand why you're feeling this way, you really don't fit in with a life of crime and destruction."

Ruby's heart sank as his words hit her. Her shoulders felt and her chest felt cold as what he said echoed through her mind. _No, not him too… why is this happening?! I want to be okay with everything we're going to do, I want to be able to accept the suffering I'm going to cause and still… be myself. That's the only way I can be happy and stay with Neo and Roman, Emerald and Cinder… and even Mercury._

"Well, if you want to know how I do it and keep my undoubtedly charming personality, I can tell you. I just focus on the person that saved my life. I want to help the person who saw something in me when I had nothing, and gave me a second chance, because that person matters to me more than all these other people, so why should I put them above Cinder?"

As he finished, his words hit her like lightening. _He- he's right. No one else was there for me when I woke up in that cold, dark room, bleeding and broken with absolutely nothing, not even my memories, Roman was the only one there for me. No one else held me as I cried after I killed Tukson, Neo was the only one who did. They gave me a life I'm thankful for, it's a dangerous life, and everyone is against us… so they need me, all of me. I can't have doubts if I want to protect them!_

"Mercury… thank you." Her voice quivered and gentle smile lit up her face as tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. She felt as if she been saved from drowning and he saved her. The doubts she felt were overwhelmed as warm memories flooded her mind, and she had no doubt, that Roman and Neo both loved her, even if it was in their own ways.

"Ruby, I have to tell you something." His voice became more serious and nervous, dragging her from her blissful epiphany. "I- I talked to a girl named Yang at the dance… she's your sister."

Now that snapped her to complete attention, her heart skipping a beat as she listened intently, her mouth slightly ajar, any words she could think of died on her lips as she just sat there, stunned silent.

"I asked, about your life, about who you were. If you want, I can tell you what she said." His words hit her like a punch to her gut, for a long moment, she had no idea what to say.

"Why did you do that?" Her tone was cold and distant, fear crept through her veins as she thought about the darkness that spanned her time before waking up as Roman's hostage. It always scared her to look back, even when she first woke up, but that didn't stop her… from feeling curious sometimes.

"Well, I thought you might like to know someday. If what I tell you can change how you feel about the life you've chosen with Roman and us, then I think you should know now. There will be no going back soon, and your sister is coming for you. I'd rather you hear it from me…" Despite her fear, her smile began to return. She knew the risk he had taken asking this person about her past. The compassion in his voice and his actions… it made her feel safe.

"Okay… I understand. Thank you, for doing this for me. I'm ready to hear about my past." With a deep breath, she braced herself for whatever she might learn.

"Well… you were born on the Island of Patch. Your mother, father and uncle were all Huntsmen and Huntresses. Your mother died when you were little, she was apparently an amazing Huntress and mom. You have a sister named Yang Xaio Long, she's at Beacon Academy training to become a huntress. According to her…" He stopped, hesitating on the next words, leaving Ruby feeling a powerful, confusing mix of emotions swirling together in her heart and head. She knew though, she needed to hear the rest.

"Mercury please, tell me what she said." Her voice was gentle and reassuring, even as her heart felt like it was on the verge of being torn apart.

"She said that you always wanted to be a hero. That you wanted to save the world from big scary monsters and evil villains. It was your dream to be a huntress. That's what she said. Also, she said that is will find you and bring you home. That's everything I got… sorry it's not more."

This time… it was her that left him in silence as she stared blankly out at the horizon. She didn't know what to feel… but then, those moments came to the front of her mind. The love she felt from the people she truly considered family and all she had done and would do to protect them. As she filled her lungs with the cool dusk air, it occurred to her, that this moment with Mercury, was one she would remember fondly as well.

"Thank you. I really appreciate what you've done for me. This doesn't change anything, I don't want to leave, in fact, knowing all of this… it actually makes me feel stronger, like I'm moving forward but this time, not to run away from what's behind me." A newfound vitality surged through her, it was true, it was real, it was absolute conviction. All her doubt was burned clean, she knew who she was, past and present, and it only made her certain, she knew where she belonged.

"I'm glad I could help, you sound better. Normally this kind of thing isn't exactly my forte. I was just aiming for better than useless." His normal tone returned, and it only made Ruby happier.

"No, I'm really glad you called. I was a mess!" She giggled softly, brushing her hairs from her face. "Well, I think I should head back. It's getting late."

"Yeah, same here. Emerald might starting thinking of new and creative ways to make my life difficult if I'm not back soon." He gave a huff of laughter before both falling silent once again, but this time, it was a comfortable sort of silence, one that Ruby smiled the whole way through as she watched the last rays of sunlight bathe the horizon in a gentle glow.

"Good night Mercury." Her words were as warm as the fading sunlight and as soft as the breeze, part of her wishing they could talk for just a little while longer.

"Good night Ruby." With that, they disconnected, but for just a second longer, she kept her Scroll to her ear and smiled. Then, a sudden and unexpected sound ripped her from her comfort.

Not far in the distance… gun shots.

Ruby stuffed her scroll back in her pocket, her expression darkening as her eyes narrowed. She scanned the ground below like a hawk, in the low light she could see the bright flashes of dust ammunition. She stood up, balancing easily on the support beam as she pulled her Inferno Crescent from her back and unfurled it into its full and terrifying form. Calmly she walked to the very edge of building, a large drop awaiting her with the wrong move. Taking a breath, she steeled herself and then… she fell.

She plummeted, however her face was calm and her silver eyes were frigid as she readied for battle. With perfect timing she unleashed a fireball behind her, sending her flying the opposite direction. The air whipped around her, screaming in her ear she couldn't hear a thing, effortlessly, she turned her body so her feet were in front of her and her scythe trailed behind, firmly gripped in her hands.

In the next instant her blade struck metal, the curve of the blade and her momentum spun her around until she was upside down staring at the street below with her hands on the butt of her scythe. With her semblance she forced herself downward, her feet slamming so hard into the protruding beam that she feared she may break the crumbling building she landed on. Still, as she came to rest and brought her scythe over her shoulder, the flames snuffing out from the blade, she found herself in the perfect position, now only a few stories up off the ground.

As the gunfire continued, Ruby looked out, she had a clear view of a battle that raged not far from her. Four girls effortlessly took down a horde of Beowolves. A taller, older man with green hair and a hat stood back and watched them. Ruby's eyes were drawn to one girl in particular; A tall girl with long blonde hair who was viciously pummeling the Grimm to death with shotgun gauntlets. She knew she shouldn't have, but she lingered there, watching her.

 _Yang Xaio Long… just give up. I know where I belong, and it's not with you._

Suddenly, the breeze shifted, her cape pressed against her back as the wind blew hard from behind her. As her rose petals were carried away by the wind, she took one last look at her sister… before vanishing into the night.


	23. The Darkness That Cherishes The Light

"She. Was. Here!" Yang growled, glaring at her team, a rose petal that was carried to her by the breeze the night before clutched gently in her fist.

"Yes, you've said that." Weiss glared back at her blonde teammate, her attempts at de-escalation having failed, she was now forced to play hardball with her hard headed teammate.

"Yang, I know you want go after her, we do too, but we need to do this right." Blake's voice was gentle and almost pleading as she tried to talk her down.

"Exactly! We're a team, we can't have you going off half cocked by yourself! Every time we've seen her, your sister has attacked and beaten us, including you! How well do you think it'll go even if you do find her?" Weiss crossed her arms over her chest as she took an assertive step forward towards Yang.

"None of you care!" Yang shouted, her aura flaring as her eyes burned red. "You've all given up on her, you think she's some sort of criminal! She's my sister and I'm getting her back, with or without you!"

"I've fought her up close and personal, I don't think you'll be able to handle her on your own. She managed to put me and Penny down by herself. You're no match for her alone. We need to do this as a team." Thistle's tone was firm but empathetic, the small redhead had no hesitation as she walked right up to the enraged Yang and put her small hand on her shoulder, desperate to try and calm her down… and it seemed to work. Her eyes returned to their normal lilac color and with a slow, drawn out breath, her body relaxed.

"We haven't given up on her Yang." Weiss's approach softened as she mirrored Thistle's compassion, feeling bad as a leader that she left it to her girlfriend to calm things down. "We want to bring Ruby home, but we don't want to lose you trying. Please, just work with us, we're your team."

"I think she's just lost. When I was with the White Fang, I was convinced that the harm I was causing was worth it. I think if we can get to her, we can reach her and make her understand…" Blake couldn't help but feel empathy for Yang's sister, even after all she had done.

"I- I'm sorry guys…" Yang's head hung low and her body relaxed, all except for the hand still cradling her sister's rose petal. "I just… I need to go for a walk."

"You shouldn't be alone right now. You lose your senses over this and you're bound to get yourself into trouble." Weiss let her arms fall to her side as she looked around to her team and then back to Yang. "If we work together, we will be able to bring Ruby back, so just stay calm and work with us."

"Weiss, I promise, I'm just going for a walk to clear my head." A small, weak smile formed from her lips to ease the worried minds of her team.

"Maybe I should come with. There's a lot of Grimm out there, if we split up we should at least stick to teams of two." Blake's words drew a nod of approval from their leader.

"I agree completely. Mountain Glenn isn't the kind of place for a leisurely stroll." Weiss' voice rang with authority as spoke.

"Guys, this is me we're talking about, I don't need a babysitter." She turned to faunus teammate whose gaze was soured by a hint of annoyance. "No offense Blake."

"We were battling Grimm all day yesterday and for most of today, we're all exhausted, even you." Weiss felt her annoyance starting to rise again as she struggled to force that part of her down.

"Yang, just take Blake with you, it's not like she talks much anyway, you won't even know she's there!" Thistle looked up at her with her large lavender eyes that glistened with worry.

 _Hey, I'm right here._ Blake huffed in annoyance, her ears flicking under her ribbon.

"Look, what if I promise to be back in thirty minutes? Would that make you guys less paranoid?" Yang shrugged. Still, she couldn't help but smile a little more warmly at her team; they were genuinely worried for her. Her eyes settled on her leader, she could see her mulling over Yang's proposal in her head… finally, she looked at her, their eyes meeting as she spoke.

"Twenty, and if you're not back by then we're coming to look for you." Weiss couldn't help but feel it was probably too much leeway, but she knew a protracted argument would just end in the short fused Yang storming out, then they'd all be worse off. _This is the best decision for the team._

"Thank you, I promise, I'll be back in time!" She smiled gratefully at her leader. As she turned to leave them at the dilapidated building they had stopped at, she took one last look at her team and all of them seemed worried for her. She felt bad… but she just could be around anyone right now. She knew they'd cover for her with Oobleck who was out examining something, who knows what it was this time.

 _I'm being selfish for making them worry…_ Her grip tightened around the rose petal as she walked away. _I'm sorry girls._

* * *

The desolate and decaying streets of Mountain Glenn were quite, in the distance Yang could hear birds chirping carelessly away. Given her mood, she was surprised she hadn't attracted any Grimm to herself.

 _Torchwick, the White Fang, that woman with the umbrella, Atlas military tech, the masked woman at the CCT tower, stolen dust, Mountain Glenn… what does all this mean, and what does any of it have to do with Ruby?_

They were thoughts she'd poured over in her mind again and again and again, to no avail. Fruitlessly she tried to make sense of the seemingly disparate pieces of the puzzle that her sister was somehow in the middle of. Frustration and helplessness welled up in her chest as she gave up on trying to figure any of this out. _What the hell does this all mean!? If I can't figure this out then how am I supposed to find-_

Her thoughts were cut abruptly short as she caught sight something moving in her peripheral vision. For a moment, she thought begrudgingly that it was just another Grimm, but as she turned her head, her eyes grew wide as she caught sight of two people… with a familiar symbol on their backs. They hadn't noticed her…

For the briefest of moments she felt like she could hear Weiss screaming at her in the back of her mind to go back for her team… she didn't listen. A wild, cocksure grin spread across her face as her Ember Celica came to life on her wrists, the shells loading into place as she rushed in.

Yang ran towards the two unsuspecting faunus, adrenaline surged through her veins as her heart pounded in her chest. She was getting tunnel vision, all she could focus on was what was immediately in front of her as her semblance filled her with ferocity and reckless drive.

 **Bang!**

Her gauntlets unleashed a powerful blast to the back of the White Fang closest to her, sending the unsuspecting grunt flying with one shot! Just as the other one turned to the direction of the blast, he was met with a blur of yellow just before Yang grabbed hold tight of his shirt and twisted it, choking the faunus and pushing him down, her other gauntlet aimed point blank at his head. She was panting for breath as she glared down with blind rage, her red, vicious eyes burning with hate and her teeth bared like a wild beast.

"Where's my sister!" Yang shook him violently like a ragdoll. He was absolutely helpless against her.

"I- I don't know I swear! Please just-"

 **Bang!**

Yang let loose another blast from her wrist, the shot barely missing the faunus' head before it hit the ground behind him, shattering the pavement into powder. He was trembling in fear now.

"Where. Is. Your. Base?" A mechanical sound clicked from her gauntlet as it loaded another round. "I won't ask again!"

"I- I…" He trailed off, his trembling rapidly diminished as he looked up behind Yang, his expression going from about to piss himself to unbridled relief. Yang couldn't help but roll her eyes. _Yeah, like I'm going to believe that one._

Her heart skipped a beat as suddenly she heart the sound of what sounded like a chainsaw and then she felt an immensely sharp pain in the back of her head. After that… everything went black.

* * *

Roman Torchwick looked through document after document; money laundering operations and numbers, maps of the old subways and underground city, geological surveys, budgets and inventory… all of it was beginning to give him a headache.

 _If those muts in the White Fang had even rudimentary competence, I'd be making one of them do this nauseatingly tedious work._ He felt the impulse to reach for his cigar and and lighter in his pocket, but he resisted. _No Roman, leave it be. I'm trying to quit remember? Can't smoke around Red anyway, not without getting on Neo's bad side._

He gave a long, drawn out sigh as he looked up the the dark metal ceiling of the train car above him. Sitting close by, his ice cream colored partner in crime sat reading a newspaper. _Speaking of Red, I've barely seen her since yesterday. She's probably more bored out of her mind than I am. Maybe I should bring her in here with us, show her the boring side of running a criminal operation?_

"Um, boss…" A voice called from outside the train. Roman could feel a pang of annoyance rising in his chest. With another, much more exaggerated sigh he stood up from his chair. "We've got something I think you should see?"

"Is this going to be the kind of something that I'd like to see, or is it something that's going to give me more of a headache?" He huffed in exacerbation, running his fingers over his face and through his bangs before adjusting his signature hat.

"It's um… it's a girl…" The grunt's voice was weary and uncertain, but curiosity and the chance to get away from his work easily won Torchwick over as he turned around and walked out of the train.

Yes… it definitely was a girl. A girl with long, brilliant blonde hair, her arms tied behind her back and forced to the ground. She seemed barely conscious. Roman raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, behind him he could hear Neo descending the metal stairs to join them.

"Okay, that's something?" Roman blinked as he walked towards her. Suddenly he felt that she looked very familiar… _Wait… from that night, with those other girls that destroyed my robot!_

"Hey, rise and shine Goldie Locks." Roman smiled as he knelt down to her level and grabbed a fist full of her hair before forcing her head up to look at him. The pain of having her hair pulled seemed to shock her into alertness.

'W-where… Torchwick!" She bared her teeth at him, instinctively going for a punch only to find her hands were bound tight behind her back with strong cables.

"Ooh, we have ourselves a feisty one!" He laughed as he pulled even harder, lifting her head up and putting the handle of his cane under her chin.

"G-give me back… my sister." She growled through the pain, glaring at Torchwick with absolute malice.

"Your sister?" He raised his brow again in confusion, pressing his can against her jaw painfully.

"Ruby… I know… you have her! I- I want her back!" She could barely speak as his cane was pressing into her jaw bone, but suddenly, the painful tugging at her hair was gone and the pain at her jaw ebbed as Torchwick stood, his head low and his hat and bangs obscuring his eyes from all but the girl looking up at him with pure hatred. He gripped his cane a bit lower and then…

 **Smack!**

The handle of his cane slammed into the side of her face with so much force it nearly knocked her over. Behind him, Neo glared at the blonde girl with spite, but a hint of worry softened her deadly gaze.

"Tie her up and gag her somewhere and do it good, she's strong so use a lot of rope. I'll kill her myself later. Oh, and just so we're clear," Roman raised the end of his cane up to the handful of White Fang foot soldiers that brought in the girl. "Red is not to know about any of this, got it!?"

"R-right!" They said in unison as Torchwick turned around, with a small jerk of his head he prompted his partner to follow him.

"It seems like we may have to expedite this operation." He gave a long stressed breath as he rummaged through his pockets and pulled out his lighter and cigar, lighting it up and putting it into his mouth. The fragrant smoke filled his lungs and he felt his stress diminish ever so slightly.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, so Neo, I want you to look after her, if anything goes wrong." He looked up to his partner, his eyes heavy with foreboding and caring. "I don't want her ending up in jail… or worse. Just Keep her safe, whatever it takes."

Neo gave a silent, solemn nod. Her face darkened as she felt the gravity of his words… still, the most ephemeral and soft smile brightened her eyes. Conviction and strength burned within her and she knew, she would protect Ruby… no matter what.


	24. Darkness and Light: Part 1

Hopeless…. that's what Yang felt as she sat on the cold hard stone floor, frigid water dripping down on her from above and her bindings cutting into her skin. It was just like Torchwick had ordered; They didn't half-ass it when it came to tying her up. Her mouth was dry from the makeshift cloth gag they forced her into, she could barely manage to make frantic grunts, though she'd given up on calling for help after the first fifteen minutes.

Still she fought against the metal cables that coiled around her arms, legs and torso, but her desperate struggling grew less and less frequent and more and more weak. They had put her in some desolate corner of the cavern, as the they moved her she was still fuzzy from the blows to her head she had taken so she didn't have a great grasp on her bearings.

Her useless spasms and growls became few and far between as she felt weaker and weaker, more out of the growing sense of hopelessness than anything else. A sick feeling welled up from deep within her stomach as Roman's words kept playing over and over again in her mind as gaze fell to the damp floor.

 _Don't let Red know that I'm here? He said that, he must be talking about Ruby… okay, I get that. It's the last thing he said… that doesn't make sense. "I want you to look after her if anything goes wrong."? "I don't want her ending up in jail."? "Keep her safe."? W-what was all that? Was he really talking about Ruby? T-there's no way… the caring in his voice, how angry he got when I said I was her sister… Roman Torchwick; Does he actually… care for Ruby?_

Rage and confusion flared up within her, warming her body as she bit down hard on the rough fabric bunched up in her mouth that tied around her head. She knew by the look in Torchwick's eyes that there was no doubt he would make good on his promise to kill her. A _nd Ruby will never even know that I was here…_

Her rage ebbed and a deep sadness chilled her to the bone more than the icy water she sat in possibly could. She felt defeated and weak, every move she made just made her bindings bite harder into her skin and every time she could work up the anger to fight, despair won out, draining her strength.

 _Ruby… she looked healthy and strong when I saw her. She didn't seem like herself, she was more confident and determined to protect him. What could the likes of Torchwick have done to make her so- so loyal to him, to make her do all these things? It seems like he isn't just using her though… he cares about her. If- if all else fails, at least she has that…_

Her barely existent vision grew burdened with a haze of tears, her despair hitting her the hardest she had ever felt. She couldn't even summon up any rage towards the people that put her there. She… was giving up.

Suddenly, a loud cracking sound ripped her from her mind, snapping her attention upwards to the cave's ceiling a ways out from her cage. Brilliant light streamed in from above and she could hear faint screaming. After squinting at four falling figures among the rubble that came crashing down, her eyes opened wide and hope flared in her chest and she struggled once again, harder than ever.

* * *

He was about to even give up on the notion of quitting smoking as his stress just grew and grew. Ordering around the White Fang to work double time to load the train up, get the bombs ready, arm and ready the mechs, shred and burn the unneeded documents and getting everything as ready as possible to move out on a moment's notice.

 _Cinder is not going to be happy about this._ With an aggravated groan he rubbed his gloved hand over his face.

"We just don't have the manpower to get all this done right now." Torchwick poured over stacks of paperworks, a shredder within convenient arm's reach to destroy everything he finished reading.

 _And then there's Goldie Locks…_ His face became dark and serious as his hand gripped his cane so hard it trembled. _I'll kill her soon, as soon as I get this mess straightened out… but she says she's Ruby's sister. Should I really kill her and never tell the kid that she was even here? Maybe I should have Red do it, or at least tell her about it before I kill her. If they talk… will it- will it bring Red's memories back?_

"Since when do I stress out about this kind of thing Neo? I'm a ruthless and fear criminal, I've killed people and enjoyed it and yet… I can't stop worrying about her." His body relaxed as a gentle, small hand fell on his shoulder. Beside him Neo stood with a soft and understanding smile.

"I'm not used to this whole selfless caring thing, now I'm remembering why. I wish I just killed her that day on that rooftop, my life would be so much more simple. Now though…" He gripped his cane tighter as he turned away from his desk, walking out the trail with Neo following close behind him. "I don't want to lose the kid, even if it's selfish, I'm not risking her talking to Goldie Locks. I'm killing her, now!"

Anger and protectiveness burned through his cold heart, his green eyes narrowed with deadly conviction as he made his way to the makeshift prison where Ruby's sister was being held. Neo followed along happily behind him, unsheathing a blade from her umbrella, her eyes playful and hungry as they made their way to the cages.

Suddenly, they came to a dead stop as a loud and terrifying sound echoed through the underground city, their heads simultaneously turned upwards towards the cracking sound just as a portion of the cavern's ceiling gave way, follow by shrill screaming as debris fell to the ground and along with it, four human shaped figures. Bright sunlight streamed in behind them, illuminating the cavern.

Roman gritted his teeth as he tapped his cane against the stone floor before giving a bitter huff and spinning around and again, Neo followed him, reluctantly sheathing her blade.

"We're leaving! Get the train ready, and get Red!"

* * *

"I'm so bored!" Ruby whined as she lightly banged her head against a metal pole, grumbling in frustration, rolling her head back and forth over the cold metal.

She had been bored all day! Aside from a few sparring matches with Neo earlier that morning _Which I won by the way!_ she had been indisposed for almost two days straight now. Roman was so busy that she barely got to see him, only telling him briefly about the girls from Beacon in the surface city. As she thought back to that night… her heart sank.

 _Roman told me not to worry, that they couldn't find us down here but I don't know, those girls have a bad habit of showing up at the worst times. I feel like maybe we should be more proactive about dealing with them._ She felt a tinge of excitement and annoyance as she thought back to watching them fight those Grimm, a small part of her wanted to go on the offensive right there, but she knew she probably couldn't handle all of them on her own.

 _That girl with the knives was strong enough, when we fought at the docks… I wouldn't have been able to handle her if I didn't fight dirty. All of them look really tough, they were definitely capable of handling those Grimm like they were nothing. I guess… hiding out is the best choice for the operation, but I can't help feeling that they're going to find us sooner rather than later._

Ruby let out a long, drawn out sigh, lifting herself upright and pulling her head from the pole, a red mark temporarily blemished her forehead from the pressure. With her shoulders slumped and her head down, she turned and started walking aimlessly once again.

 _I- I didn't tell him… no, I couldn't tell him that one of them is apparently my sister. What would he say? Would he trust me enough to fight them? Even Mercury trusted me and cared enough about me to tell me. Now that I know about my past, or at least some important details, I feel a lot more assured in this path. I want to help Roman, because he's the person that matters most to me, him and Neo. I can be at peace with every bad thing we're going to do because of that. I want to tell him, I need him to know that I know about my past and that I'll still follow him!_

"This sucks…" She whined again. "I hate thinking myself in circles like this! That's it, I need to talk to him!"

With a defiant huff and determination in her heart, Ruby turned, looking around the massive cavern. She could see the White Fang loading the train, they seemed a lot busier all of a sudden, everyone was rushing about. _I wonder if something happened?_ With a shrug of her shoulders she began to walk forward… and then…

A cracking sound reverberated through the cave from above. Ruby could feel the ground beneath her tremble just moments before a portion of ceiling gave way, large pieces of rubble falling to the ground and blinding sunlight pierced the darkness. Ruby's heart began to race as she heart the sounds of girls screaming along with four person shaped figures falling amongst the pieces of cave.

 _I knew it!_ Ruby's teeth gritted as she pulled her scythe from her back. Without hesitation she dashed towards the light. _I'll show you Roman, I'll put them all down if I have to!_

* * *

"Yang!" Weiss called out, her aggravation building along with a tinge of betrayal they walked down the desolate streets looking for their teammate.

"Yang! Where are you!?" Thistle called out, her tone and expression growing increasingly more worried as the minutes ticked by.

"I'm getting a bad feeling…" Blake looked around wearily, a growing sense of foreboding gnawing at her stomach.

"Blake is right, Mountain Glenn is writhe with dangerous, unstable terrain and bloodthirsty Grimm! We must find her as soon as possible!" Professor Oobleck walked behind them, his demeanor seemed like its normal albeit eccentric self, but Weiss was getting the feeling he was worrying too, and that really made her feel a sense of fear for her friend.

"S-she probably ran off to find Ruby! I bet she's just wandering around turning over every rock she can find and blowing off some steam…" Weiss recoiled at the tone her own voice, she did not mean to sound as dismissive as she did and a devastatingly sad look from Thistle made her guilt a hundred times worse.

"Weiss, she promised she would be back. I- I think we have to assume the worst case scenarios here…" Thistle's gaze fell to the ground between her and Weiss, her lavender eyes dull with concern and just a little disappointment towards her leader.

"Thistle, I didn't mean it to come out that way. Although… I hope I'm right, because the worst case scenarios… well, they're pretty bad." Weiss didn't like how Thistle drew out that side of her, she preferred to be just a little detached, it helped her think more clearly and the tiny dose of denial didn't hurt her nerves either… but Thistle was right. _I'm the leader, I need to take every threat as seriously as possible. Yang could be in danger, I need to treat this like she's in immediate danger._

"No…" A soft but terrified whisper from Blake stopped everyone in their tracks. The faunus had walked on ahead, but only a short distance. She was standing there, staring darkly at the middle of the street.

"Blake… what-" Weiss came to a dead halt as she and Thistle walked up to where she was standing, Oobleck followed close behind them. Their eyes were all fixed down at the pavement with grave expressions on their faces… at their feet was freshly spattered blood and a tuft of familiar, long blonde hair.

"Guys…" Thistle brushed her arm against Weiss' before she walked forward, her team's gaze following her until they too saw what she was looking at, and followed her.

Only feet from the blood and hair was an indent in the ground filled with charred and powderized concrete. They were all thinking the same thing; It was from Yang's weapon… it had to be. They all felt a cold chill of dread crawl up their spines as the reality set in. This was definitely a worst case scenario.

 **Crack…**

"Did you all hear that?" Blake looked around, her cat ears twitching under her ribbon.

 **Crack!**

They all heard it that time. Their eyes at once all shot down to the ground and their hearts skipped a beat.

"Ladies," Oobleck's voice was at first his normal and expressive tone, but then it quickly darkened with seriousness as he looked around to them. "Brace yourselves."

* * *

They were sore and reeling for the long fall and hard impact. Weiss heard the dull groans of her team around her and as her senses came back, she took in the scene. The ground around her was littered with rubble, her teammates and teacher had all fallen very close together, and as they began to stagger to their feet, she felt a wave of relief sweep over her; no one was harmed.

As Weiss stood though, she knew the real dangers lay ahead. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and her mind sharpened as she formulated a plan. With deep breaths she readied herself, putting her hand to the hilt of Myrtenaster she steeled herself.

"Alright team, Thistle and I will go on ahead to find Ruby and stop Torchwick, Blake, you go with Oobleck to find Yang! After that, come meet up with us on the front lines!" Without another word she drew her sword as Thistle took up her side, her knives in hand ready for a fight.

Oobleck smiled proudly for just an instant at the young heiress before giving a quick nod and looking to Blake, her weapons at the ready and looking more anxious than anything, obviously not wanting to waste a moment in finding her missing teammate.

"Alright, but be careful." With those parting words Oobleck and Blake ran off to find the missing member of Team WYBT. Leaving Weiss and Thistle staring down a small army of White Fang.

"Are you ready?" Weiss looked beside her with a cocksure smile, sure enough her girlfriend had the wild look of ferocity and excitement she always wore into battle. Woe be unto anyone in Thistle's path when she's like that. With a small laugh Weiss turned back to the cannon fodder. "I guess that's a yes!"

With a dozen guns trained on them neither of the girls' confidence faltered. A glyph appeared under Weiss' feet and as she held her sword elegantly outward she was launched forward at immense speed, plowing through half of them men in a single stroke!

Not to be outdone, Thistle dropped her knives, letting them drag on the ground as her chains extended from her wrist mounts. Her toothy grin grew even more wild and terrifying as crouched down and then released a powerful explosion that shattered the hard stone beneath her feet and sent her flying at least as fast as her leader. With a powerful swing the chains on both sides of her slammed into the remaining White Fang, sending them flying like bowling pins!

The two girls stood victorious over their fallen enemies, pleased smiles on both their faces as they looked at each other. Weiss turned the revolver on her sword, readying for another bout as Thistle's chains retracted, her knives coming to rest in her fists. Both of them were hoping that their teammate and teacher were having it as easy as they were. Suddenly a blaring voice came over some sort of intercom.

"Get to your places we are leaving now!" Torchwick's voice rang across the cave.

Weiss and Thistle looked to each other in a brief moment of confusion before the heard a very distinctive mechanical lurching. Their eyes at once grew wide as they turned down the degraded street. They ran as fast as they could, coming to a stop just in time to see train tracks and the source of the distinctive sound as a massive train roared by them.

"I don't know where they're going but we can not let them escape!" Without elaborating Weiss ran toward the fast moving train and plunged her sword into the ground forcing ice to erupt around under the train and covering the tracks… but it was no use, there was just too much force as the was was blasted apart, barely slowing down the massive locomotive.

"We need to get on board and stop Torchwick…" A familiar voice from behind them called out.

"Yang!" Both girls yelled out in surprise and relief. Their teammate looked a bit roughed up, but otherwise okay. Beside Yang stood Blake and Oobleck.

"This doesn't make any sense, these tunnels are a dead end!" Oobleck adjusted his glasses as he watched the train plow forward nonetheless.

"We'll get our answers once we pound them out of Torchwick!" Yang growled as her aura flared, her eyes burning red as she stomped forward, her gauntlets loading a round on each side before she fired them into the ground as she jumped, blasting away the ground around her and leaving her teammates looking at each other with concern.

"Come on!" Weiss finally gave the order jumping back, her feet coming to rest on a glyph tilted towards the train before the flung herself after Yang. With a concussive wave expanding out from beneath her Thistle followed with Blake and their teacher close behind them.

They all landed on the train's caboose with varying amounts of gracefulness before standing upright and staring down to the front of the train. Wind violently swept around them as they were pulled faster and faster. Weiss's eyes drifted down to her feet as would have jumped back in fear of what she saw if it weren't for the greater fear of falling off the edge of the cart.

"Um, is that a bomb!" Weiss pointed down to the menacing device, her entire team taking quick but cautious step back.

"Why yes, I believe it is." Oobleck leaned forward to examine it.

"Guys," Blake said calmly as she pointed her blade at to the front of the locomotive. "We've got company."

All eyes turned to face the actually rather terrifying sight of countless White Fang foot soldiers pouring out from every possible exit from the train, all staring at them with murderous intent. However, a sudden beeping demanded their attention back to the explosive… it was armed!

"Oh that's not good." Yang turned from the bomb to the small army barreling down upon them. They all jumped one after the other to the next cart.

"Blake, detach this cart or it will kill us all!" Oobleck commanded before following the others as blake dropped down in between the carts. However as she prepared for the strike to sever the connection between the two trailers… they came apart all on their own.

"It decoupled by itself!" She called up before climbing to the top with her team.

 **Bang!**

The caboose that had detached exploded sending a fireball and shrapnel crashing through the walls of the tunnel the barreled down. All five watched as rocks came tumbling down from above, foreboding rising among them as they turned to each other.

"Well, I didn't expect them to go easy on us…" Oobleck said ominously as they turned to face the White Fang.

* * *

"It's those girls… isn't it?" Ruby said cautiously as she looked up at Roman. A silence stretched between them as explosions shook the train from outside. Finally, with a heavy sigh he turned to the small girl cloaked in black and red, his green eyes softening from the frustration that had plagued him as he looked at her.

"Yeah Red, it's them." Ruby couldn't understand the heaviness and hesitation in his voice, it was as though he was admitting a lie he felt guilty over. Though, at the same time, she felt her own guilt bubbling up in her heart. With soft gulp she willed herself to say what had been troubling her mind.

"Um… Roman?" She spoke in little more than a nervous mumble as her gaze drifted to the metal floor.

"Spit it out Red?" Torchwick raised an eyebrow at her. Though… he had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"I- I need to tell you something, before I go." She closed her eyes, summoning up her courage before her eyelids fluttered open, her big silver eyes were hard with strength as they met his. "One of those girls, her name is Yang Xaio Long, and she's… my sister."

"So… you know about that huh?" A soft but wistful smile formed from his lips as he leaned back, coming to rest against the control panel of the train. He couldn't help but smile a little brighter at the surprised looked on the small girl's face.

"You knew?" She looked shocked, but she was the only one, because as she turned to Neo, she found her friend looking away from her, her brown and pink eyes gave away the guilt she felt, but more than anything… worry, and nervousness. They both knew.

"Yeah Red, and since we're apparently being honest around here now, your sister came down here to find you but she got herself knocked out. They brought her to me as she came to. She told me she wanted you back. Neo and I, we were going to kill her and leave her body down here and never let you know." He stuffed his hand into his pocket, fidgeting around with his cigar but refusing to smoke it. _I miss the days when I didn't know what guilt was._

"Why would you do that?" She shock ebbed and now her face and voice were disturbingly neutral. Roman found himself wishing she'd just get angry.

"It's not important Red… just let it go." His voice was a low growl and everything about his voice, expression and body language was giving off warning signs for her to end it there. Anyone would have stopped in their tracks with how menacing and angry he looked… but not her.

"Roman…" She said softly as she stepped closer and closer to him without hesitation. She watched as his facade began to crumble and he started to look more afraid than anything. Finally, she stopped only inches away from him, looking up at him, her silver eyes telling him she wouldn't accept anything less than the truth.

"You're impossible kid, you know that." Finally, he gave in, his body relaxing. _There's just no winning with you is there Red?_ A smirk appeared over his face and vanished just as quickly… he felt afraid to tell her why… and that pissed him off!

"Ruby, I didn't want you to know she was here… because I don't want you to get your memory back." He gave a defeated sigh as he shut his eyes tight as though bracing for something. His eyes flung open not even a second later as he heard a soft giggle from below him. Ruby was smiling. Not angry, not hurt or disgusted, just… amused?

"You were scared if I got my memory back that I would leave, is that it?" She laughed again, finding the look on Roman's face absolutely hilarious.

"Do you think this is really the time for this?" He grumbled, begging to the universe to spare him from the humiliation he was suffering.

"Fine, but after this is over I expect an honest answer to that!" She was beaming now and there was a little bounce in her step as she moved back away from Torchwick.

"So, you're going out there?" Roman adjusted his collar and hat trying desperately to regain his cool demeanor while silently thanking the universe for answering his prayers… for now at least, apparently.

"Of course, that's what I'm here for isn't it?" Ruby bent down slightly, her arms folded behind her back as she grinned at him.

"Just… be careful alright." He said as he exasperatedly rubbed his face with his hand. He knew she was right, but still.

"Worrying about me again? You're getting soft." She teased, giving him a nudge with her shoulder.

"Yeah well, just don't tell anyone, I've got a reputation to maintain." His smiled softened, he felt... okay, letting his guard down. His fear dissolved as he looked down at her smiling face.

"Your secret's safe with me, but I don't know about Neo, you know how she loves to talk." Ruby giggled as she looked over to her ice cream colored friend who just grinned and shrugged at Torchwick.

"Alright, I should get out there, sounds like the White Fang isn't a match for them." Her bright smile faded until it was simply small but happy slight curve of her lip as she turned away from them to head to the door.

"Red," Torchwick's sudden dark and very serious tone stopped her in her tracks as she looked back at him with a curious gaze right at the threshold of the door. "These girls have been a thorn in my side for too long. Don't show them any mercy. If you get the chance… kill them."

To both Torchwick and Neo's surprise… Ruby smiled. Her eyes were cold as frigid steel as she reached back and pulled out her Inferno Crescent, unfurling it into the nightmarish blade. This was it, the deadly and potent warrior that lay just below her warm and gentle surface. Her cape fluttered behind her, it's red base slowly shifting to black as it ascended. With a sweep of her hand she pulled her pitch dark hood over her head and turned away from them.

"Now there's the Roman I know." She said softly as she took a step out the door.

"Ruby…" Roman said softly, causing her to look back one more time to him, his eyes deep in melancholy and his expression wistful. "Do you ever wonder what your life would be life if our paths hadn't crossed like they did?"

"Nope!" Ruby's smile softened, her voice warm and bubbly. "It'd probably be a lot more boring though."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He smiled back at her, his eyes brightening. "Go kick some ass."

"Right!" With that, she turned once more and walked down the train, cart after cart, ready to face her opponents.

"Neo…" Torchwick's tone held such gravity that it snapped Neo to attention. "Go watch over her… keep her safe."

With an instant nod Neo put her umbrella over her shoulder and followed Ruby quietly out the door. There was no hesitation, Roman knew she wanted to protect the kid just as much as he did. A burdensome chuckle escaped his lips as he watched he leave.

 _Whatever happens… I want her to be okay._

* * *

Team WYBT dropped down from the ceiling one by one. A battle raged above them as Oobleck dealt with the remaining White Fang on his own. The fatigue that had been wearing them down since they arrived at Mountain Glenn was completely gone, wholly overwhelmed by adrenaline and tension.

"Here, you might need this." Weiss tossed a one of her dust cartridges to Blake, the only other teammate who's semblance was augmentable with dust. With a thankful nod Blake loaded the cartridge into her sword.

"Come on, this is what we've come all this way for." Yang turned to her teammates, stopping on Thistle whose wide purple eyes were fixed in front of of them as a whisper escaped her lips.

"Ruby…" As her soft voice hit their ears the entire team looked up… sure enough, standing in the doorway like some horrible hooded specter, was Yang's little sister. This was the first time they had seen her in good lighting, she barely looked like the pictures Yang had showed them. Sure, her face was the same, but she gave off a very, very different feel.

"You guys go…" Yang said softly, her head lowed to the point that her bangs hid her eyes from her team. Her voice, though calm, held a deep pain and they could all feel it. "I'll handle her."

"Yang, are you sure?" Blake turned her head to her. "She's no pushover."

"Yes, I'm sure." The softness in her voice was burning away fast as anger took its place. That was their cue to leave.

"You heard her, we need to stop this train." Weiss turned towards the small girl clad in black and red. She was standing right in the doorway. She gritted her teeth. _There's no way around her, Yang might not like it but we may have all fight her at once if we want to get-_

Before Weiss could finish her thoughts, Ruby rendered them moot as she stepped closer and turned to her side. Weiss' pale blue eyes grew wide with suspicion, her grip tightening on her weapon. _Is she really going to let us through?_

"This is a family thing, you three go. I'll catch up, I promise." Yang's burning red eyes had risen to meet Ruby's cold silver. With their gaze fixed on each other, Weiss gave a worried look to her remaining teammates.

With a deep breath they all ran past Ruby as fast as they could, the rush of air making her cape flutter as they fled, leaving her alone with the girl that claimed to be her sister. Time seemed to slow as they stared at each other, not a word spoken between them, though both knowing… there was a lot to say.

"So…" Ruby broke the silence, her strangely amiable voice taking yang aback. Taking a deep, steadying breath Ruby pulled her hood down and walked towards the blonde with a gentle smile. "You're my sister?"

"W-what are you saying?" Yang's rage was broken, her eyes returned to normal as she stared at her little sister with her mouth gaping. "Ruby… do you not remember me?"

"Nope!" Ruby smiled bashfully as a small blush spread over her pale cheeks. "I actually don't remember anything before waking up as Roman's hostage. Apparently I lost my memory after he injured me in our first fight, when I tried to stop him from robbing a Dust shop or something."

"Are you serious?" Yang blinked, her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

"I'm completely serious!" Ruby grumbled, crossing her arms defensively over her chest, her scythe still in hand.

"Ruby, please, just listen to me! If what you're saying is true then you need to come home with me! I'm you're sister, I love you more than anything! I've fought tooth and nail to bring you back and now… I'm here. You're my little sister, and I need you to come home." Yang was pleading, begging to her sister, trying to ignite some spark, some distant memory that just had to be there.

"What was I like before?" Ruby asked simply, her casual smile returned, seeming completely unfazed by Yang's frantic begging.

"You…" Yang took a soft inhale as her body relaxed, her hands easing at her sides. "You're gentle and sweet. You're childish sometimes… okay, a lot of the time. You're naive and kinda impulsive, but you always see the best in everything and you bring light with you everywhere you go." She could barely see now, through the haze of tears clouding her vision.

"Ruby… you're strong and you've always dreamed of making the world a better place. This," Yang swept her arm out over the train. "This isn't you. Torchwick isn't your friend! He doesn't care about you, just-"

Yang was cut off abruptly as the butt of Ruby's scythe slammed down loudly on the metal floor. Her smile vanished leaving her face blank… all except her eyes, which were cold as liquid helium.

"I've heard enough. Yang, I appreciate you telling me about who I was in the past, I really do." Her face softened as she brandished her scythe, the massive blade screeching against the metal below her. "I've been told to kill you, and I'm going to do just that."

"I'm not," She let out a small breath as her weapons retracted back into little more than bulky bracelets on her wrists. "Going to fight you."

"You will fight." Ruby growled, raising her Inferno Crescent up, the blade hanging in the air only inches from Yang's face. Still, the calm, sorrowful look in Yang's eyes remained.

"No!" Yang's look softened in defiance. Her little sister watched completely baffled as she fell to the floor, her hands resting on the ground and her legs folded underneath her. "I won't fight my little sister… not like this."

Ruby was struck speechless, her eyes wide and mouth gaping as she stared at the blond girl below her. The chill in her gaze softened and her weapon came to rest on the ground beside her, a small smile warmed her face.

"I think I'm beginning to understand what kind of person my big sister is…" She gave a defeated shrug.

"Come home with me, it's where you belong. There are people that love you, people that are risking their lives for you just so you can come back. It's not too late…" Yang's voice was choked by the tightness in her throat as she struggled with all her might to hold back her tears.

"I was lucky," Ruby gave a soft, loving smile to her sister as she raised up her scythe. "to have a sister like you."

Yang shut her eyes tight as the deadly blade swung down at her. Her whole body tensed for a moment as she prepared to be cleaved in two by the razor sharp edge… but she wasn't. The loud, harsh sound of metal shearing through metal screeched in her ears and suddenly a powerful wind swirled around her, sweeping up her long blonde hair as she opened her eyes.

Behind her, the wall of the train had been effortlessly cut, a rough rectangular shape with sharp edge was trailing along, barely attached to the body of the train. Sparks flew from it as it grinded along the ground until it finally fell off.

Yang looked to Ruby who's scythe was now aimed at her. There was no sorrow, regret or remorse in those big silver eyes, just acceptance and… gratitude. Suddenly, the blade of her scythe was engulfed in a blazing inferno. The intense heat hit Yang like a wave, the dancing fire reflected in both their eyes as they stared at each other.

"Ruby… you don't have to do this." She looked up to her sister and fear began to strangle her heart as Ruby simply smiled.

"I know, I'm doing this because I want to." She smiled a little brighter and then…

 ** _Fwoooosh!_**

A massive ball of fire burst forth from her scythe, blasting Yang out of the train with immense force, she shear heat leaving the edges of the makeshift door glowing a dim orange. Ruby stood alone and Yang... was gone.


	25. Darkness and Light: Part 2

"W-where is Yang?!" Weiss stood with her sword drawn, pointing it at the hooded girl in the doorway. At Weiss' feet lay the unconscious body of the White Fang lieutenant.

Ruby looked from the large man on the floor to the girl clad in white feeling both impressed and just a little concerned. _I let them go on ahead so I could deal with them one at a time. I haven't fought Ice Queen before, I have no idea what her deal is._ Ruby's eyes fell to the Dust gauge on her scythe and her worry grew just a little bit more. _That blast I used to take out Yang was really powerful, but it used a lot of my dust reserves. I need to try to beat this one using as little fire as possible._

"I won't ask again! Where is Yang?!" Weiss rotated the revolver on her sword and reared it back, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

Ruby's head tilted slightly up, looking down at Weiss with a smile mirroring the signature smug grin of her mentor as she casually hung her scythe over her shoulder. She couldn't help but feel more confident this way. _Now I know why Neo fights like this!_

Weiss bared her teeth, her grip tightening on her sword ash she readied to strike. Ruby walked forward with her smug grin seeming completely nonplussed as she came to a stop only feet in front of her opponent. The two girls' eyes met and for a brief moment, the room was still…

Weiss made the first move as she jabbed her sword forward aiming it directly at Ruby's chest, but in a flowing, effortless motion the hooded girl turned to her side and let her scythe's blade fall to the floor, holding the handle above her head. With a harsh grinding sound Weiss' weapon ricocheted off at a shallow angle, deflected by the shaft of Ruby's weapon. She looked at Weiss with a playful smirk.

Weiss' blood began to boil. _She's toying with me!_ Rage flared in her chest, but as she was tried for, she focused her anger. The fight was on!

The leader of Team WYBT lashed out with strike after strike, but her smaller opponent seemed to predict every move as she weaved between her attacks. With minimal movement Ruby was able to seamlessly dodge the incoming attacks or parry them with a subtle move of her scythe, all the while her smug grin didn't fade.

Suddenly Weiss' movements became faster and more nimble as her thrusts and slashes hit harder and harder. It was then, as she founder herself getting pushed back, Ruby knew; they both had the same idea. _She's testing me! Fighting reserved to figure out how I fight. Okay, I can't be on the defensive anymore!_

Like someone had flipped a switch the battle changed! Ruby moved like a whole different combatant, turning from passive to viciously aggressive, dancing with her scythe as she twirled around with it, deftly avoiding any attacks and lashing out with powerful kicks and slashes. Weiss found herself very quickly being forced back, barely able to counter and avoid the onslaught.

 _This is bad!_ Weiss gritted her teeth harder as she was forced to take another jump backwards, her heart lurching as she felt something cold and hard at her back… she had hit the wall.

Ruby seized the moment, with a fluid motion she spun her scythe backwards, the momentum swinging it around her back as she stepped to the side and grabbed it in the middle of its hilt and then slashed sideways at her cornered opponent!

Weiss' eyes grew wide as she saw the massive curved blade barreling down from her side! _No choice!_ She bit down, her jaw muscles bulging as as moved with zero margin of error, Myrtenaster was thrust up as fast as she could, and a glyph ignited below her as a pillar of ice engulfed Ruby's scythe only a centimeter before it would have taken her head.

Just as the heiress was about the breath a sigh of relief a bright orange and red glow burned from within the ice. Her gaze drifted to Ruby who was grinning once again.

The ice exploded, sending shards flying everywhere and leaving Ruby standing a puddle of boiling water. Steam rose from around her, the water hissed and squeaked as the fire scoured the ground clean. In a word, Ruby looked… terrifying.

The fire snuffed out from the blade of her scythe and Ruby looked at Weiss with a deathly chill in her silver eyes. _This is it, I can't take her lightly. She's so strong, she's almost as fast on her feet as Neo and her glyphs are going to be a big problem. I didn't want to use my fire on her… I don't have a choice!_

Weiss took slow, cautious steps back, spinning Myrtenaster's revolver once again as she prepared for another clash with her fearsome adversary. _She's good. The way she moves, I can barely keep up with her. I wasted a lot of energy on that White Fang ruffian, I was hoping I wouldn't be forced to use my glyphs on her, but there's no other way!_

The two locked eyes as they took tentative, calculated steps around each other. The tension in the room was nearly at its breaking point as they readied to exchange blows once again, both feeling the pressure of their opponent's strength. Slowly and carefully Ruby rested the shaft of her weapon on her shoulders behind her head, both her arms resting on it lazily to keep it in place...

In a blur of red Ruby blitzed her, lunging into the air and forcing her body into a sideways spin with the blade of Inferno Crescent aimed right at the Ice Queen with all her body weight behind it!

Weiss stepped back just in time and the blade flashed before her eyes, a rush of air following it. She readied to strike down with her sword at her opponent, taking full advantage of the obviously reckless move… but before she could even pull back her sword she saw the girl below her crouched into a ball holding on to the hilt of her scythe, her weight pulling Ruby down towards Weiss… and she knew what was coming.

A powerful blow to her chest compressed her ribs and knocked with wind out of her as she was sent flying back from the impact of Ruby's feet crashing into her!

Ruby rolled with her own weight with her Scythe still in hand, using the heavy blade as a break to force her into a standing position over Weiss. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her breathing was hard and labored.

Weiss recovered from her fall nearly as fast her Ruby. Shakily she forced herself up, her chest was sore and her lungs hadn't quite recovered from being forcefully deflated, but she was up. She grabbed the hilt of her sword with both hands and glared dangerously at the girl cloaked in black and red. _No choice, she's just too fast! I don't have much strength left but it worked on that brute…_

She took a long, deep breath, steadying her mind and body as she raised her sword up and closed her eyes, focusing her aura. In an instant, Ruby found herself surrounded by glyphs on all sides and now… it was her turn to be afraid.

As a glyph appeared at Weiss' feet she was launched forward, her blade pointed out a Ruby who readied for a frontal attack, but just before contact Weiss hopped backwards, her feet landing on a floating glyph behind her!

Suddenly Ruby was lost, her eyes desperately trying to keep up with her opponent as she bounced around her in a blurs of white faster than she could turn around. She felt impact after impact as she fruitlessly tried to counter the barrage of attacks from Weiss!

"Gah!" Ruby yelped in pain, her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched tight. _This bad, this is really really bad! What would Neo do?!_

Her eyes opened wide as an idea struck her like lightning! In an instant she fell to the floor, both her hands gripped tight around the shaft of her scythe as rush of air blew past her. She waited patiently for the perfect moment and after only a few seconds, the moment came.

With all her might Ruby swung her legs up, her hands holder her balanced on the handle of her weapon giving her just the height she needed! She splayed her legs and just as she felt a rush of air flow by she brought them together with crushing force. She was pulled off balance as her legs wrapped around something and a cocksure smirk formed from her lips.

Weiss felt terror as her heart skipped a beat. A powerful force squeezed her lower torso and brought her to a stop and then… she was falling, no, she was being thrown down fast towards the ground. Her eyes went wide as she saw the cold metal floor rush towards. _No!_

Ruby slammed Weiss into the ground as hard as she could, their combined momentum and strengths adding to the force of the impact! With a dull but loud sound Weiss crumbled into the ground, even bouncing off the floor for the sheer force!

In a fluid motion Ruby got to her feet and brought the short end of her scythe's blade bearing down onto the heiress, aiming straight for her heart, but it didn't go through...

The two girls once again locked eyes, only this time, Weiss' expression was frantic and terrified. Only a glyph stood between her and the remorseless looming blade, and she was struggling to keep it up. Her aura was all but drained, but the girl who looked down at her with icy silver eyes and a blank face seemed to have plenty of strength left to spare.

 _I- I can't… I can't move! She's too strong for me right now, I used up too much of my aura already! I can't… let her… get to the rest of my team!_ Weiss pulled from reserves of strength she didn't even know she had just to keep up her small glyph. Suddenly she felt a painful pressure crushing into her stomach as Ruby's boot slammed down on top of her!

"Weiss!"

At once both girls turn to the panicked shrill. A small girl shorter than Ruby with bright red hair and a side braid stood at the door, her mouth agape and her knives resting at her sides as they dangled from two chains.

"T-Thistle!" Weiss looked to her girlfriend with both hope and fear. However, all else was overwhelmed as horror gripped her body and mind… a bright orange glow and intense heat erupted from in front of her.

"No!" Thistle screamed desperately. Ruby stared at the knife wielding huntress in training, her deadly frigid gaze steady and her expression calm as the girl beneath her struggled for her life, now holding back the inferno with her glyph.

 **Fwooooosh!**

Ruby unleashed a jet of fire that easily shattered the leader's glyph, it spared her from the direct and deadly effects of the fire itself but as it broke, so too did her aura as she fell unconscious, a burning scythe blade only inches from her body.

The room fell into a deathly silence as Ruby snuffed out her flames and watched the smaller girl at the other end of the train cart. Thistle's large purple eyes were only focused on Weiss' limp and beaten body with shock and horror as they glistened with the beginnings of tears.

Then, Thistle's gaze became just as cold as Ruby's. Her chains retracted as she took her knives into her hands and walked forward in eerie and unsettling quiet, her visage seemed so placid it was almost unnatural.

Ruby felt fear welling up within her heart as she readied her scythe for the coming storm. _This is the girl from the docs… she's strong and her semblance is a big problem for me. The cheap tricks I used again her last time aren't going to work here and no one is coming to help me, on the other hand there's still one more member of their team I haven't taken out. Okay… I've been training like crazy so I wouldn't lose, I managed to beat Neo. I can do this, Roman and Neo are counting on me!_

With a deep, steadying breath Ruby steeled herself for battle, widening her stance and rearing her scythe back as the red head drew closer. _I can't hold anything back, even if I use up all my dust, I won't lose to her!_

The air around Thistle hissed and crackled as her aura flared with her unbridled fury, ready to bear the full force of her semblance down on the girl before her… but still, she was cautiously watching her enemy. _Yang's little sister huh? Well, they're both strong that's for sure. She took me and Penny on at once at the docks and made me look like an idiot doing it. She fast and a quick study on her opponents. She- she beat Weiss, so I can't be reckless this time if I want to get her and the rest of my team out of here._

The atmosphere in the room was charged to the breaking point as the two stared each other down, sizing their opponent up as they waited to see… who would make the first move.

At once they both burst forward, Ruby swinging the blade of her scythe down at the smaller girl as Thistle held on knife in her left hand while the other lagged just behind her on a few feet of chains.

 **Bang!**

Ruby's scythe was knocked back as it was met by Thistle's knife followed by the explosion that expanded from its blade! In the next instant Thistle lashed her arm out and another bang erupted sending the other knife flying at the hooded girl with immense force!

 _Not that easily!_ Ruby let the force of the explosion that countered her scythe flow through her, stealing the momentum and using it to push herself into a spin as she brought the butt of her weapon down to counter Thistle's other blade as it exploded off from it!

She'd done this before. Ruby had been training with Neo for a long time now and she knew that even a smaller combatant could fight a stronger opponent if they controlled the flow of the fight, turning the enemy's strength against them. It's what Ruby had worked so hard to incorporate into her fighting style with her seemingly unwieldy weapon, but now, she felt the strength of mastery as she turned every one of Thistle's explosions into momentum to push her and Inferno Crescent exactly where she wanted… right in front of her adversary!

The two small girls stood glaring at each other and huffing for breath, but Ruby was the only one wearing a smug grin of superiority, again trying to emulate the ever confident Neo.

 _W-what the hell!?_ Thistle bared her teeth viciously at Ruby as her chains slinked back into their wrist mounted spools. Ruby's smirk making her rage burn hotter and hotter with each moment and she struggled with all her might not to let it cloud her mind.

Thistle punched at Ruby, her karambit knife clutched tightly in her fist, but every punch missed as Ruby danced and weaved between her enraged and increasingly unfocused attacks, swaying her heavy scythe around her, pulling her in the direction she wanted to go. She moved with her weapon like they were one and it made her seem weightless. It would have been a beautiful sight to behold… _If it wasn't so infuriating!_

Now Ruby went on the offensive, switching her gentle swaying and subtle motions to twirling her scythe around her. As she swung the blade down Thistle's Semblance knocked it away, but at the same time the force made the other and of her weapon slam into Thistle and each time she knocked it away, Ruby's attacks just grew faster and harder, and she was beginning to feel it!

 _She's overwhelming my Semblance! She just dodges or counters every hit I throw at her!_ Thistle's teeth bit down so hard it hurt.

Ruby kept up the onslaught! Attacking fast and hard from all sides and letting the forces of Thistle's explosions flow into her own movements. _Still, this isn't enough, even with my hardest hits I'm barely breaking through! Her semblance is ridiculous! Okay, so how about this!_

Ruby's grin widened as she fell backwards and brought the heavy blade of her scythe skidding along the ground until it was behind her as Thistle's knife flying inches over her face! Adrenaline surged to new heights through her body as she pressed against her weapon, digging the blade against the ground as she flung her feet up, slamming into her opponent's exposed belly!

Just as she expected her body was met with a concussive wave that pushed against her feet and with a look of fierce determination Ruby swung her scythe around, spinning her body as it fell just behind Thistle's knees. _I've got you now!_

Ruby's Scythe burst into flames once again and a fireball exploded outward in all directions! The rapidly expanding shell of fire slammed into Thistle's back and knocked her to the ground… but not before her chain fell into Ruby's view too late.

 **Boom!**

Everything happened within a mere moment as their explosions rang out at nearly the same time as they were both sent flying!

The two girls lay on the cold hard metal floor, Ruby's body having come to a stop as she slammed into a wall while Thistle fell hard face down in the middle of the cart, the floor and walls around her scorched black.

A calm quiet fell over them as both girls lay silent and motionless, their attacks equal in magnitude had put them both down hard. After several very long moments, pain filled groans filled the air.

"Ouch…" Ruby moaned as she struggled to all fours before rubbing her head with her hand. _That wasn't fun, I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon._

With a few more uncomfortable grumbles she crawled over to her Scythe that had fallen a ways away from her, still burning strong until she turned off the flames. Not too far from her she could hear chains dragging on the ground. Her head whipped around painfully as she turned to see Thistle in a similar state as she was.

 _Oh come on!_ She shouted into her mind in exasperation as she shakily forced herself to her feet. Thistle did the same, her knives coming into her hands as they both readied for what would probably be their last exchange.

 _Okay, even my fire wasn't enough to put her down. It did a number on her though it looks like, so that's a start. I know Neo and Roman both told me, well, Neo more showed me, that I shouldn't rely much on my semblance… but this is going to take everything I've got!_ Ruby's jaw muscles bulged as she glared across the cart at her extremely stubborn foe.

Taking a deep breath Ruby summoned up all the strength she could in her trembling legs as she swung her scythe backwards, following the momentum she fell into a backflip until her feet touched the wall.

Her scythe ignited and let out a burst of flames that launched her body and her weapon upwards. For just a moment she was standing on the wall, crouched down as she glared at Thistle… and then to the wall immediately behind her.

 **Whoosh!**

Ruby exploded forward in a burst of fire and rose petals, the sheer power her her launch crumpling the metal frame of the cart under her feet.

Thistle's eyes grew wide as she lost sight of Ruby before a powerful gust slammed into her and showered her with petals… and then she heard the wall behind her buckle as a powerful impact hit it.

In pure horror Thistle turned to see Ruby perched on the wall above her, the deadly blade of her scythe aimed and ready to cut Thistle down. A conflagration swallowed up the scythe and a wave of heat from the flames battered Thistle.

 _I- I'm going to die… there's no way I can stop that…_

 **Whoosh!**

Ruby fired herself like a missile down at the small red head, a trail of fire and burning petals was left in her wake. None of the explosions Thistle had produced could counter a hit with this much power.

It was over.

Ruby swung down at Thistle and for a moment, Silver eyes met purple as their gaze fell on each other and all she could see in the smaller girl… was fear.

A bright light erupted from out of nowhere beneath Thistle and it was familiar to both of them… it was a glyph! Ruby's heart skipped a beat as Thistle was flung back just as her scythe fell where she was.

 _No! I- I have to-_ Ruby was cut off as she saw a blur of silver, one of Thistle's chains was coming towards her, fast!

With one last desperate motion Ruby ejected all the fire she could and an inferno spewed forth at Thistle.

Once more… their attacks hit each other at simultaneously! Ruby felt the explosion hit her chest as it slammed her into the ceiling... and everything went black...

* * *

"Thistle!" A voice cried out in the darkness.

"Thistle!" The voice cried once more, the desperation made her heart ache. _I- I know that voice…_

"Thistle… Please wake up…" The soft voice sounded so weak and broken and she felt something… warm hitting her cheeks.

"W-weiss?" The small girl's eyes fluttered open slowly and a blur of white filled her vision just an instant before she felt a painful, tight… but warm feeling wrap around her.

"Thistle! Y- you had me scared, you stopped breathing…" Weiss' voice trembled as she held the smaller girl tight in her arms, and sure enough, Thistle felt warm drops falling to her skin.

"You're okay…" Thistle's body relaxed in Weiss' warm embrace and a small, weak smile formed from her lips. _I'm relieved…_

As a thought struck her, Thistle begrudgingly opened her eyes as her gaze drifted from the locks of white hair that hung in front of her face… to the small girl cloaked in red and black lying still unconscious the the floor.

"What are we going to do about her?" She mumbled through a choked voice to her leader, giving the heiress a gentle nudge to get her attention.

"I think…" Weiss very gently released Thistle as she turned to Ruby, a complex look of anger, sadness and relief swirled in her pale blue eyes as she sat against the wall with Thistle, resting her side against hers. "I think we should take her with us."

"You're the boss…" Thistle let out a very long, tired sigh as she looked to her leader. "So, where's Yang? The kid is her sister."

"I- I don't know…" Weiss' expression darkened with fear and worry for her teammate. "Ruby was the only one who came back from the other cart… I tried asking her where Yang was but…"

The gravity of her words hit Thistle as she looked with eyes wide in disbelief from her leader to the small girl crumpled up on the floor. Her heart sank as she imagined the worst, and from the look on her face, she felt Weiss was doing the same.

"Yang's the toughest person I know," Thistle turned with a reassuring smile her to leader sitting leaned against her. With a small breath, Thistle pooled her courage and gently took Weiss' delicate hand into her own. Wide, pale blue eyes gazed into her own and Thistle felt a gentle pressure around her hand as their fingers intertwined. "She'll be alright, I'm sure of it."

"I- I hope you're right." Weiss sounded unconvinced, but Thistle couldn't miss the sparkle of hope in her eyes.

"I know I am. Now, we should get going. Since we haven't exploded yet I'm guessing I wasn't out long. Let's join up with Blake and stop this train." Extremely begrudgingly, Thistle pulled her hand from Weiss' and, with every single muscle in her body protesting, she forced herself up. She hurt everywhere but tried to suppress any groans of agony to keep from worrying Weiss as she walked over to Yang's sister.

 _If Weiss hadn't intervened… I'd probably be dead right now. This kid is something else._ Thistle stood over Ruby's unconscious body, wondering for a moment just how she's going to carry the little ball of murder in her state. _Okay, I'm definitely not taking her Scythe with me. Even so, how can I-_

"Ahh!" A shrill yelp from behind her made her heart skip a beat as she whipped around, even the force of turning sent pain shooting through her body.

Thistle's heart was pounding almost painfully in her chest as she saw a woman even shorter than her with brown and pink hair holding Weiss' head up by her hair… and a thin blade held to her throat. The woman's eyes burned silently into Thistle with dangerous conviction and protectiveness.

"L-let her go!" Thistle tried her best to sound intimidating but she knew it wasn't going to have much impact… she could barely stand.

Without a word, the woman lifted Weiss up with her until they were both standing, her blade never leaving the surface of the leader's pale skin. She pulled Weiss along the perimeter of the room, gesturing with her head for Thistle to move away. As Thistle backed up the woman stepped directly between Thistle and the unconscious Ruby and the fierce protectiveness in her eyes burned hotter than ever as she bared her teeth like an animal protecting its cub.

Suddenly, Thistle knew what was going on. With a deep breath, she retracted her chains and brought her knives to rest inside her wrist mounts as she held her hands up, showing as much as she could that she wasn't a threat.

"Ruby for Weiss…" She said softly as she took a step backwards. "Let her go and you can take the kid, we won't try to stop you."

The woman hesitated for a moment pulling Weiss' hair even harder and positioning the blade right over her jugular as she backed up slightly more until her foot touched Ruby's body. Then in a blur she pulled her blade back and kicked Weiss, sending her tumbling to the ground before she turned to the small, unconscious girl.

"Weiss!" Thistle cried out as she ran to her girlfriend, kneeling down and offering her shoulder. Weiss wrapped her arm behind Thistle as they stood together, both of them supporting each other in their very weakened state.

They watched as Neo knelt down and very tenderly cradled Ruby in her arms before slowly and carefully lifting her off the ground along with her scythe, Ruby's head rested comfortably against Neo's arm and chest. She turned to the two girls and gave one last defiant look and then…

They both vanished.

Weiss and Thistle both felt absolutely defeated. Neither could stand without the other now, their bodies were trembling and weak, and their aura was very nearly exhausted.

 _I'm sorry Yang… I couldn't bring your little sister home._ Weiss felt a sharp pain in her heart as she closed her eyes, looking away in shame from where Ruby had been. _I failed..._


	26. Darkness and Light: Part 3

The train rattled with explosion after explosion as a battle raged above them, however, between Thistle and Weiss, everything felt strangely silent as guilt and defeat weighed down their already extremely weak bodies.

 _Yang's gonna hate me. I- I couldn't do anything to stop that woman from taking Ruby back. She had Weiss, what else was I supposed to do!?_ Thistle barely had the strength to clench her jaw in rage. _Still, that woman, she obviously cared about Ruby… I hate to say it, but maybe she's better off with them. It's where she wants to be and with what she did to Weiss, I don't think I could forgive her._

"W-we should get going, before someone else shows up from out of nowhere." Weiss' voice trembled, but the shock of everything seemed to be wearing off as she got her cool and logical senses back.

"Yeah, probably a good idea." With their weights resting against each other for support, the couple staggered forward slowly towards the front of the train, but they barely made it two steps before…

"Torchwick is down but I can't stop this train!" Blake burst through the door. As soon as she laid eyes on her battered teammates her eyebrows raised and worry burned through her heart as she noticed the lack of their blonde teammate.

"What happened to you two? Where's Yang?" Blake's amber eyes grew wide and panicked as her teammates averted their gaze from her with worried and somber expressions.

"We don't know where Yang is, she didn't return from her talk with Ruby, as for what happened to us… well, let's just say next time we go after Ruby, we're not splitting up." Weiss let out a soft, dejected sigh, her guilt the greatest of them all. _The whole team is my responsibility, I shouldn't have let Yang try to handle Ruby on her own. If Thistle and I hadn't worked together… I just don't want to think about what she was about to do to._

"We need to get on the roof of this train. We can't help anyone here. Blake, go check the cart behind us where we left Yang, be as fast as you can and then meet us on the roof!" With a quick nod, Blake dashed towards the back of the train, fear and worry apparent in her large amber eyes.

Weiss again felt the weight of failure as their faunus teammate disappeared into the cart behind them. _This has been a disaster. Thistle and I can barely walk, Yang is missing, we let Ruby slip through our fingers again and we couldn't stop this train. I need to get stronger… I need to be better. My team is in danger as long as they have a weak leader. I am never allowing this to happen again!_

"Weiss…" Thistle's soft but deeply concerned voice ripped her from her mental self lashing.

"I- I'm sorry. Come on, we need to get to the roof. You go first." The leader's voice was saturated with guilt, and Thistle could tell.

With a moment of hesitation and one more worried look, Thistle gave a tepid nod and slowly and weakly extricated herself from Weiss' side, carefully pulling away while making sure neither of the collapsed right then and there.

It was only pure survival instinct that drove them now. Thistle was completely drained, her leader looked a little better off, but not much. With great pains Thistle struggled to the roof, glancing behind her to make sure Weiss was okay behind her.

As Thistle opened the hatch, wind whipped around them. The train was still barreling towards the city and they were helpless to stop it while it led an army of Grimm to the doorstep of the unsuspecting populace. Her entire body ached as she weakly flopped onto the metal roof before turning back, her belly resting atop the fast moving locomotive.

"Come on!" Thistle could barely hear her own voice as she shouted down to Weiss with her arms outstretched to her. Her eyes slammed shut against the pain as her leader took her hands and pulled herself up, every muscle in Thistle's body screaming at her to let go; she ignored it. She clenched her jaw and let out a sigh of relief as soon as they were both topside.

The two girls struggled to their feet, their exhausted bodies fighting to stay upright against the wind and fatigue. They were still barreling down the long narrow tunnel and they only seemed to be getting faster.

"She's not here!" A desperate and panicked voice cried out over the turbulent winds. Weiss and Thistle turned behind them to see Blake hoisting herself up from the cart behind them. Dread began to consume all of them as their worst fears seemed to be turning into a very possible reality.

"We have to go back!" Blake pleaded as she looked frantically between her team and the tunnel spanning behind them.

"Blake…" Thistle's voice was so soft it was nearly drowned out by the air swirling around them as she spoke, her head hung in shame and sorrow. "We can't."

"We can't just leave her!" Blake growled in disgust and astonishment at even the notion of leaving Yang behind.

"It's too late to go back!" Thistle's head whipped up, she felt her temper burning through her exhaustion as she defensively glared down her enraged teammate.

"No it's not!" Blake bared her teeth as she stomped forward to Thistle, leaving Weiss to watch her team fall even further apart.

"Yang would want us to finish the mission!" Thistle took a trembling but assertive step forward, giving no more ground to Blake as they stared each other down only inches apart and looking only moments away from descending into a fight.

"The mission is already failed! I couldn't stop the train, you failed to get Ruby back, there's an army of Grimm about to attack vale and I am not going to top that off by leaving Yang behind!" Her knuckles turned white as her fists clenched together, her gaze burning into Thistle whose expression softened at her words.

"Blake, I'm sorry…" Thistle gave a long, defeated breath followed by Weiss doing the same, more than thankful for the de-escalation when suddenly, something caught her attention in her peripheral vision.

"Don't be sorry, just help me save-"

"Um, girls…" Weiss' shocked but otherwise disturbingly blank voice stole her teammates' from their bickering. As they looked to their leader they found her staring forward, her pale blue eyes wide with fear and her hand quivering on Myrtenaster's hilt.

Thistle and Blake spun around with their weapons at the ready and they too felt fear wash over them as a mass of swirling red hovered menacingly in the air just above the metal roof. Thistle's heart was pounding so hard in her chest that the blood rushing through her ears drowned out everything else. _W-what now!? We can't survive another fight! Blake will be on her own… if she gets taken out Weiss and I are helpless. Gah! I hate feeling so useless!_

A figure stepped through the swirling crimson cloud… it was a woman, a woman with long black hair and a very intimidating mask. However, all their eyes weren't drawn to the woman, instead, the entire team's gaze fell with relief and then immense fear at the the unconscious blonde girl held in the mysterious woman's arms.

"Yang!" The remaining entirety of Team WYBT shouted at once, energy surged through them as they summoned up all their strength to fight for them lives to get their teammate back! However…

"W-where…" The barely conscious Yang whispered blearily as the mysterious woman knelt down and tenderly laid her down on the cold metal roof. The woman took a step back and stared down for a long moment at the blonde beneath her as her teammates rushed to her side.

"Yang! Yang, are you alright!?" Blake called out as she knelt down, carefully easing her teammate up by her shoulders.

"R-Ruby?" Yang's eyes fluttered open as her head weakly turned just in time to watch the mysterious woman walk into the crimson cloud… and vanish.

"Who was that?" Thistle looked to her leader only to be startled by the bewildered look on Weiss' face.

"Where's Ruby!?" Yang shouted as she began to come to her senses, looking desperately around the four of them for the small girl cloaked in black and red. The collective hearts of the team at once sunk with sorrow and anger and for Weiss, no small amount of that directed at herself. None of them could bear to meet Yang's worried purple eyes.

"Your sister… she got away. I couldn't stop her." Weiss' voice was frail and dripping with resignation as she shut her eyes tight. _Yang's going to hate me…_

The team fell silent, no one uttered a word as they awaited the cataclysmic they were sure would erupt from an already emotionally fragile Yang at the painful revelation… but it never came. Slowly she sat herself up and hugged one knee to her chest, her entire visage looking nothing short of… broken.

"Yeah… neither could I." She spoke in little more than a whisper. If her team were all huddled around her, they would never have been able to hear the pitiful, heartbreaking admission.

"Yang, we need to go now." Weiss spoke softly, her pale hand lightly falling on her teammate's strong, muscular shoulder. "We'll be no good to anyone if we don't get off this-"

"It's too late…" Blake's horrified voice sent a chill running through their spines as they all followed her gaze and then… they all shared her horror.

"Everyone brace yourselves!" Weiss screamed at the top of her lungs before jamming her sword into the roof of the train. Summoning up every last drop of energy she had she conjured a large glyph beneath her team and a shell of ice rapidly engulfed them as they all held on for their lives…

* * *

Pale blue eyes blinked frailly open. She was sore, she was weak, she was beaten and she was exhausted, but even through all the pain and even through her body screaming at her to just let go and pass out, only one thing screamed louder in her mind… _My team… i-is everyone…_

She slowly and agonizingly turned her head. She was surrounded by rubble, fragments of street and exploded train littered the ground. Weiss herself lay crumpled up in a on surprisingly flat piece of the metal roof of the locomotive. Around her, the rest of Team WYBT was scattered around almost as much as the rubble. For a moment, she feared the worst as she looked at their unmoving bodies, but as she began to struggle on all fours should could hear groans of anguish beside her and a short distance the other way, Yang began to rise.

"Well… we didn't die." Thistle gave a feeble laugh as she sat propped up against a chunk of rubble, every muscle in her small body seemed shut down, looking more like a ragdoll that had merely been placed there.

"I-" Blake was taken by a fit of coughing before she could utter another word. "I- I'm okay too."

"I'm still alive." Yang staggered to her feet. Weiss watched as Blake did the same not far from her. Still, both she and Thistle were completely inert. Weiss barely had the strength to speak, standing, for her, seemed like a distant impossibility. Despite that, she couldn't help but feel relieved.

 _Everyone's alright…_ A brief smile that warmed her face fell apart as chaotic background noise around them finally became distinguishable to her… it was people… and they were all screaming.

All around she could see them, the glowing red eyes burning with malicious intent… the creatures of Grimm were in Vale. They had failed.

"I- I've got to…" Weiss bit down against the pain. She couldn't be sure but it felt like she had several bones broken, but her entire body was stifled in a haze of pain it was hard to tell what was hurting the most. Still, through it all, the young heiress and leader forced herself up, her arms resting uselessly at her sides. Beside her, Thistle as well rose up, with about as much ease.

 _This is bad! Weiss and I are in no shape to handle Grimm. Yang looks shaken and worn out, but she can still fight. Blake is in the best shape out of all of us but just those two against all these Grimm?! H-how long will they have to keep it up before backup arrives?! How can they last? What about Weiss?! I- I have to get her out of here._ Thistle tried to summon up her aura but she couldn't so much as menace a butterfly with the explosions she would be able to create in her condition.

A low rumble and a quaking in the ground tore her from her thoughts as a wall of ominous black filled her periphery. Both her heart and time itself seemed to grind to a halt as she turned her head.

Her blood turned to ice in her veins… a massive Ursa loomed over Weiss, it's nightmarish maw opened, ready to rip into the flesh of her leader as her hand shakily fumbled for her sword, in her exhausted state she could barely lift Myrtenaster. Weiss' eyes were fixed defiantly into the glowing red of the Grimm. The Ursa reared back on its hind legs and raised on paw that was easily wider than her torso up…

"Weiss!" Thistle cried out helplessly as it's deadly claws swung down at her girlfriend.

 **Bang!**

In a flash of light the Ursa's head was blown off! Standing above its body Yang's aura burned a bright gold and her eyes were red and filled with all the rage and pain she had and she was ready to pour it all out at anything unfortunate enough to be in her crosshairs!

"You two need to get out of here!" Yang glared at Weiss as Blake too up her side, her Gambol Shroud ready to lacerate every Grimm that came within range. The two stood protectively between their weakened teammates and the horde of bloodthirsty beasts.

"No! I am not just going to-" Weiss stopped as she felt a rough but somehow soft hand grab hold of her wrist. Turning to her side she found herself looking into the glistening, light purple eyes of her girlfriend, her fearful and protective gaze pleading with her, begging Weiss to run away with her.

"Weiss… let's go." The fear from almost losing her to the Ursa was still fresh in her voice, and in her eyes and tears of terror and relief pooled on their stinging surface. She could tell as Weiss opened her mouth that she would protest… but it died on her lips as her mouth closed and her grip weakened around her sword. With a deep trembling breath, she gave a gentle nod.

"Fine…" She said reluctantly before turning to her two teammates, realizing they were waiting for them to run so they could fight freely. I _'m just in the way here._

"You two be careful! Got it!?" She commanded. Despite knowing it was the right thing to do, running away felt wrong in her heart. Still, she lowered her hand to meet Thistle's and as they held each other, Thistle ran, pulling Weiss along behind her as they made a tactical retreat, for the good of the team.

"No worries Weiss… just leave this to us!" Yang's rage was nowhere near satisfied as she smashed her fists together and flared her aura. _First these Grimm, then I'm going to find Torchwick and beat him into a puddle!_

* * *

The battle raged on, explosion after explosion rang out and sirens blared through the city. Bullheads and airships filled with Atlassian robots and Huntsmen and Huntresses soared overhead in response to the Grimm outbreak and Roman Torchwick was using the confusion to get as far away as possible.

 _Okay, I'll find Red and Neo, then we'll get the out of here while the authorities are busy trying to put a lid on there little situation and keep the little people calm and ignorant. Things will be hot for a while, especially since those four brats found us out._

"I'm disappointed Roman." Torwick jumped as a dark and frighteningly familiar voice shook him from his thoughts.

"Oh, Cinder… it's you…" He sounded less than thrilled as he turned to face her, leaning casually against his cane. "Yeah, about that…"

"Now now, it's a bit late for excuses don't you think?" Cinder smiled as she walked up to him, her eye burning with unnatural fire.

"Hey, if you had told me more from the start, maybe I could have been better prepared! Also, those White Fang-" He was silenced instantly as her hand was consumed with flames, burning only inches away from him.

"Someone will have to take the fall for this, you know that don't you?" She pulled her hand back and quelled the fire as she walked in a circle slowly around him. "The police, the Huntsmen, the military; they'll all be after you now. There's nowhere you can run. Just accept it."

"What's your game Cinder?" Roman felt anger overwhelming his better judgement as she turned to face her, his green eyes glaring her down.

"That's none of your concern. Like I said, someone has to take the fall for this. You can either go willingly or…"

"No!" Roman shouted, putting his hand up between them. "That- that won't be necessary…"

"Good boy." She smiled, the threatening look in her eyes softening ever so slightly. "Oh, and one more thing."

"What is it?" He knew… of course he knew. He felt this coming for a while and he dreaded it. Now, it was time for his fear to come to pass and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm taking the girl." Her smile grew ever more devious and almost playful as she watched his eyes grow wide and his expression darken.

"What do you want with her?" His fear was burned away as his own well being to a backseat. His grip tightened on his cane as he began tapping it against the ground.

"Oh Roman," Her insidious smile turned into an amused and surprised grin. "You really do care for the child! How… sweet."

"You know what? Yeah, I do care about her and I trust you with her about as far as anyone else should trust me. So I'm going to ask one more time; What do you want with her?" He raised his cane up over his shoulder and took a defiant step forward, never once breaking eye contact with the truly terrifying woman. He felt like he was glaring down a dangerous predator that could kill him in a single move… and he very much was.

"You don't have a choice and we both know it." Both her gaze and her tone softened once more, this time, she seemed almost like a normal person. Torchwick would have let out a sigh, he had stared down a predator… and she backed down.

"With you in prison what will become of her? She won't last long without you or your resources protecting her, and if they find out she was part of this, what do you think will happen? Like it or not Roman, I can protect her."

"Protect her?" Roman let out a bitter chuckle as he turned away from her. Inside he was burning with helpless rage. _She's right… damn it, I hate it but she's right. If they find out Red was involved in this, her little amnesia excuse isn't going to fly. I won't let her end up in jail._

"Fine." He swallowed back all his malice and impotent rage as he turned back to her. "But you're taking Neo too, I know I can trust her with Ruby."

"Don't push your luck Roman." Cinder gave him a deadly glare. "I intended to take her as well anyway. Now, I don't want to see your face again until it's on the evening news. "Infamous criminal mastermind turned terrorist Roman torchwick behind bars." Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I got it." He growled, his heart filled with frustration and anger as he walked back towards the battle.

"Good." With that parting word, Roman heard the sound of heels clicking against the ground as she retreated, leaving him to his fate… a fate he felt she had set him up for all along.

 _I hate that bitch!_ Roman's teeth bit down hard as he found some concrete steps to sit on while he waiting for the cops to get him. With a long, dragged out sigh he leaned back, putting his hands behind his head as he got as comfortable as he could.

 _So, this is how it goes huh? Cinder is going to have Ruby for who knows what while I rot in prison? I'm not sure which one of us I feel worse for kid. At least you have Neo, so that's something. She'll keep you safe, hell, with how much she cares about you, she may even go against Cinder if it came down to that._ Roman let out a soft, exhausted laugh as he stared up at the clear blue sky.

 _I never got to give you a real answer Red. When you asked me if I didn't want you to get your memories back because I didn't want you to leave. Well, looks like I'll never be able to really tell you the truth._ The dull but deep and cold ache in his chest hurt him more than the prospect of prison. With an annoyed grumble he pulled back one of his hands and adjusted his signature hat before going for his pocket.

Then he froze as his gloved fingers brushed against the cold metal of his lighter. _You know, maybe I'll take this opportunity to quit smoking. Yeah, maybe prison can be good for my health, then if I ever get back to the kid and Neo…_

An immense sadness gripped his heart, drowning out all other thoughts as he stared up at the sky. With a long, deep breath, he started to come back to his senses and again he gave a laugh, this time it was softer but more genuine.

 _Look what you've done to me Red, all I can think about is coming back and the three of us having the run of the town again. No Cinder, no White Fang, just us... I really should have killed you that night on the roof._

"Put your hands up and step away from your cane!" A deep voice shouted several officers pointed their guns at him.

"Oh no, you caught me! Truly you've saved the day." He rolled his eyes as he followed their instructions.

The cuffed his hands behind his back and it was only as they marched him back to the center of the chaos he'd unleashed that he noticed that the fighting had come to a stop. Somehow even the whole in the ground from where the train smashed through had been repaired already.

Then as they ushered him into the Bullhead that would fly him to prison…

"Where's my sister!" A belligerent screaming came from beside him Yang tried to muscle her way past the row of police officers that stood between them. Her eyes burned bright red and were pooled with tears.

 _Right… this girl is Red's sister. Only her and her team know that she was involved here. Maybe they won't tell after all._ A pleased smile formed from his lips as he turned to look at her.

"Sorry Goldie Locks, I can't tell you where she is right now. I'm counting on you though, you're my backup plan kid." He smirked as they pushed him into the jet, but just before he lost sight of her, her spoke once more.

"When you see her again… tell her that she was right. I didn't want to lose her."

With those parting words, the door slammed shut and the engines started and Yang as left watching in shock and disbelief as it took off.

 _W-what did he say? He really… cared for Ruby?_

* * *

"All in all, I'd call today a success." Cinder grinned proudly as the sun set behind them, Emerald and Mercury stood beside her.

"Yeah, but those stupid kids really made a mess of things." Emerald grimaced as she glanced down at the scene of the breach. However, Mercury's worried gaze fell elsewhere.

"What about you… what will you do now?" His tone was its normal, laid back self, but there was just a note of concern as he spoke that Cinder didn't miss and again, her amber eyes lit up with amusement as she and Emerald both turned to the subject of Mercury's question.

A girl with a black hood, whose black and red cape flowed from her jacket, swaying gently in the breeze and she stared at them with her piercing silver eyes that burned with conviction and strength. Behind her a smaller woman with an umbrella over her shoulder stood, her pink and brown eyes fixed on her with pride and worry.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to save Roman." Ruby's voice was cold and steady, but there was no mistaking the anger behind it. However only she knew that her anger, all of it, was directed at herself.

"Well Ruby Rose," Cinder grinned as she walked up to the young girl, her fingers gently caressing her soft pale cheek as she grinned down at the stoic child. "If you come with us to Beacon, I can assure you that Roman will be freed by the end of the tournament."

Silence grew for long moment as Ruby's gaze softened. All eyes were on her now, but it was Mercury she looked to. He have a small but sure nod and his cocksure grin returned. For the briefest of moments Ruby smiled before looked back to Cinder with certainty in her eyes.

"I'll do it." She gave an affirming nod and took a deep breath. "I'll go to Beacon academy."


	27. Inhale

"Do you really believe her?" Weiss' tone was soft but very serious and empathetic as her pale blue eyes came to rest on their blonde teammate.

The days following the breach had been hard on all of Team WYBT. For Blake, knowing the White Fang was still out there but had ceased movement entirely since Roman went to prison was to say the least, unnerving for her.

Thistle and Weiss both took more than a day of bed rest to recover from severe aura depletion and a lot of minor injuries. However, the physical pain and exhaustion was nothing compared to the sense of failure they felt, especially for Weiss. Their leader had been struggling through self doubt and the weight of the failure of their mission weighed heaviest on her shoulders.

Then… there was Yang. None of them had seemed quite so broken as their normally fiery and passionate teammate. She barely spoke and had barely eaten. She looked pale and fragile. The rest of the team had tried to give her space, but now it was clear to Weiss that space wasn't helping Yang, and she was still the leader and she needed to do something!

All eyes in their bedroom turned to Weiss and then very slowly back to Yang who looked to her leader with wide but very much sorrowful eyes as she sat up on her bed, her arms resting on her legs and she took a long, deep inhale.

"Yes. I do." She said it softly and simply, but with not even a hint of doubt.

"But Yang, amnesia? Isn't that a little cliche?" Weiss furrowed her brow and let loose a gentle sigh. _I mean, it's not like there's no such thing as amnesia, it does happen so…_

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but guys, you should have seen her…" Yang's voice cracked with desperation and broken hopelessness, her eyes shined as tears pooled on their surface brought forth by forcing back the memories of their encounter on the train that day. Her hands held each other, the warmth of her own touch providing some semblance of comfort as she looked around to her team.

"She didn't know who I was, hell, she didn't know who she was. She asked me to- to tell her about herself. She said that she didn't remember anything before waking up as Torchwick's hostage because she got hit in the head or something. I swear, she wasn't lying, I know Ruby and I know that she at least thought she was telling the truth!" Her voice had risen to a near shout as she begged her team to understand her.

"Yang, I know you think you know her, but obviously, she's changed. Can you really be so sure?" Blake's question pierced Yang like bullet and caused her to visibly recoil.

"Blake… she's my sister." Her voice was barely a whisper as she fought as hard as she could against the tightness in her throat. "I know her…"

"Wait a second!" Thistle bolted out of her bed, her eyes wide with some sort of realization as her mouth hung open for a long moment as she made her way to the center of the room. "When I was fighting Ruby, I did see a really big scar on her forehead. Her bangs covered it for the most part but when he was above me and about to cut me in half I had a pretty good view."

"That has to be it!" Yang jumped up, her eyes brightening as she looked to Thistle.

"Well if that's true then she needs help. If we turn her in to the proper authorities she can get the attention she needs." Weiss folded her arms over chest, knowing that at least one of her teammates would have a big problem with that plan.

"No!" Yang cried out looking desperately from teammate to teammate. Thistle gave a nod of agreement to Weiss, but Blake looked down to the floor contemplatively for a long moment, her hands folded between her legs.

"Yang may have a point." Blake finally said as she looked up, her gaze flitting between her leader and her partner. "If we turn Ruby in… well, after what she's done, they're not likely to show leniency, even if they believe her story about losing her memory."

"Guys please, I know it's hard to believe, but I'm begging you, please just trust me. I swear, I know Ruby and she wasn't lying!" Her heart was pounding now, now she was fighting a battle on two fronts to keep her emotions from getting away from her as she fought both her rising panic and her welling tears.

"So what, you want us to just let her go after she nearly killed all of our team multiple times?" Thistle turned to Yang, her eyes narrowed in anger and disbelief. "At the docks she nearly killed Blake and Sun and then me and Penny. That night we fought Torchwick and destroyed his mech she knocked all four of us down with a single hit. Then on the train she tried to kill you when you weren't even fighting back, she nearly killed Weiss and probably would have if I didn't step in and then she almost killed me if Weiss didn't surprise her with her glyph. We all barely made it out with our lives!"

"I know you love her," Thistle took a frustrated but calming breath as she ran her fingers through her short red hair. "But she's not the sister you knew. If she did lose her memory, then you don't mean anything to her, she's already proved as much. We can't just let her be out there, even without Torchwick… she's still dangerous."

The room fell silent as Thistle's words resonated within her team. Weiss frowned but couldn't help feeling that her girlfriend had the right idea. Her gaze drifted up to the ceiling as she looked wistfully to something distant and deep. _Thistle may have a point but… if it were me in Ruby's place and Winter in Yang's… what would she do? Or what if it was Winter in Ruby's place, what would I do? I love my sister and I know she loves me. She'd probably do anything to get me back. I guess, I empathize with Yang. If there's even a chance of bringing Ruby back to her…_

"Alright." Weiss spoke up, stealing the attention of her entire team as she finally stood, her eyes sharp with clarity as she looked to Yang. "For now… we won't go to the authorities. We'll try one more time to bring her back home."

"Weiss…" Yang's face glowed with a warm, grateful smile, her lavender eyes shimmering with relief before she rubbed the tears from their surface. With a soft sniffled she looked back to her leader. "Thank you."

"You sure about this?" Thistle asked looking to her leader. _What happened on the train was a disaster and very nearly a tragedy. Our team was almost cut three members short thanks to Ruby. I'm not thrilled that Weiss wants to try again._

"Yes. I'm sure." Weiss looked to her partner with conviction. _This is the right thing to do. We made a promise to Yang when we became a team. I'm not ready to give up on bringing Ruby home._

"Alright, I'm in." Blake stood up, giving a soft, reassuring smile to Yang.

"Uhg…" Thistle gave an exasperated huff as she dragged her hand down her face. "Fine! I guess I do still want to settle to score. Both times we really fought it wasn't exactly one on one."

Suddenly everyone was pulled together with immense force and a blur of yellow slammed into them as Yang pulled her entire team into a very tight but warm and exuberant group hug. After the initial shock the team's various reactions all made Yang giggle through a haze of joyful tears.

"Y-Yang! I can't breath!" Thistle growled as she struggled against the very powerful grip. Meanwhile Weiss was just glared at Yang while Blake couldn't help but give a little smirk as she saw just how happy her partner looked.

"Thank you… thank you." Yang squeezed just a little bit tighter, taking in the moment of warmth and the love she felt for and from her team. Reluctantly she finally released them, Thistle panting exaggeratedly as she fell to the nearest bed.

"W-well, now that you've got that out of your system, I say we go eat. You haven't been taking care of yourself and we need you in top form for the tournament." Weiss folded her arms, still a little shaken from the sudden display of affection.

"You and Thistle are our heavy hitters and you've both been out of it since the attack on Vale." Blake said as she nodded in agreement with Weiss.

"Yeah, I guess food sounds good." Yang gave a silly grin as she threw her arms up behind her head and clasped her hands together.

"Then we should probably get some training in since our first match is coming up." The excitement in Thistle's eyes was unmistakable, hothead was hungry for battle.

"Sounds like a plan!" Yang mirrored her smaller teammate's enthusiasm as her mind was drawn to their coming battle, a rare reprieve from her recent worries.

With the team's spirits rising the four girls filed out of their dorm room. They smiled and for the first time in a while, a sense of peace hung in the atmosphere around them. There were still a lot of unanswered questions, and Ruby was still missing, but Torchwick was behind bars and things, for the moment, seemed okay.

 _Still…_ Yang began to trail behind her teammates as they made their way to the cafeteria as a dark cloud weighed on her mind. _It's weird that things just all of a sudden go so quiet. Then… there's what Torchwick said; "I can't tell you where she is right now. I'm counting on you though, you're my backup plan." What could that even mean? Backup plan? How could Torchwick be counting on me? Damn it! I wish he would have been less vague!_

"Umph!" Yang came to an abrupt stop right into Blake's back. In front of her the rest of Team WYBT had come to a dead stop. A pang of irritation spiked in her chest, partly from the frustration of her thoughts and now from her teammates weird silence. With an annoyed grumble she forced her way to the front.

"Yang wait!" Blake called out as she pushed past… but it was too late.

"R-Ruby…" Yang's eyes went wide and blood drained from her face as she stared at a small girl cloaked in red and black with a flowing cape standing before her.

Suddenly, Mercury Black stepped in from beside Ruby, putting himself between the stunned and increasingly hostile looked Team WYBT and his friend. A moment later, Emerald stepped forward giving them a warning glare with her dark crimson eyes. Through all of it through, Ruby stepped out from behind Mercury, her silver eyes amiable and her body language more defensive than anything as she looked up at Yang.

"H-hey…" Ruby smiled bashfully. "Long time no see?"


	28. Exhale

"H-hey…" Ruby smiled bashfully. "Long time no see?"

A long draw out silence fell around them. Mercury and Emerald stood defensively around Ruby while the rest of Team WYBT stared with varying levels of hostility and shock… but Yang noticed exactly none of these things. No, Yang's face was completely blank and her focus was entirely fixed on a small smiling girl before her.

"What are you doing here?!" Thistle broke the quiet with her voice brimming with unbridled rage, her shouting ripping Yang from her stupor.

"What's your problem!?" Mercury growled at Thistle.

"Ruby…" Yang's soft and broken words destroyed the rising anger between the two parties as she stared at her little sister.

"Guys, could you give us a minute alone? I'll catch up later I promise!" Ruby's smile faded as her visage became more confident.

"You sure? I get you're not the best with social cues but they look pretty pissed." Emerald looked back at Ruby with her thumb pointing at the opposing team.

"Yeah, I'm sure. It'll be alright." She gave a warm, reassuring smile before turning to Mercury. "I'll see you both back at our dorm."

"If you say so." Mercury shrugged with no small amount of worry in his dull grey eyes before giving a dark glare to Yang before huffing and turning back to Ruby. "You know our number if you need us."

"Thanks, but it'll be fine." Ruby gave a lighthearted giggled as she nudged Mercury with her elbow.

"See ya then." He put his hands behind his head and started walking off with Emerald close behind them, both giving one last worried look to their small teammate before continuing down the hallway, leaving Ruby with her sister's team.

"So…" Ruby mumbled awkwardly as she rocked back and forth on her heels with her arms folded behind her back. "How have you been?"

"Oh, you mean since you tried to kill us?!" Weiss narrowed her eyes spitefully at the girl.

"I was just doing what I had to… it wasn't personal." Her face darkened with grief and pain as thoughts moved to Roman… and how she couldn't save him.

"Wasn't personal!?" Thistle stomped forward, her eyes burning into Ruby as the air crackled and hissed around her, her Semblance responding to her rage.

"That's right, it wasn't personal!" Ruby glared back at Thistle, stomping her foot with finality. After the two bitterly locked eyes for a long moment… ruby let a go of a stressed exhale and relaxed her body.

"I- I was actually hoping… you and I could talk alone." She looked up to Yang who still looked numb and dazed, however Ruby's gentle and familiar voice finally seemed to get her focus.

"You want to talk to me?" Yang blinked dully.

"Yeah!" Ruby's enthusiasm and bubbly energy bled through before she quickly reigned it in. "Um, I mean, I'd like that. I promise, no fighting. I don't even have Inferno Crescent on me so it's not like I'm a threat."

"I've seen you fight first hand, you're a threat with or without that thing." Thistle spoke in a low growl.

"Hey, I'm not talking to you! I was talking to Yang!" Ruby have a silencing glare before she turned back to her apparent sister. "I just want to talk."

"We are not letting her go anywhere with-"

"It's okay…" Yang's quiet but dark tone cut Thistle short as she stepped forward to her little sister. "I'll catch up with you."

"That's a bad idea and you know it." Thistle said simply as she folded her arms.

"Thistle is right, we all remember what happened last time the two of you talked." Weiss held her icy cold gaze on Ruby.

"Yang, it's up to you, but I don't think you should." Blake's voice was more compassionate than the other two, her worried gaze fixed on her partner.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine. This isn't Mountain Glenn, this is Beacon." Yang turned to her team with a very unconvincing smile. "Please, just let me have some time to talk to my sister."

Another long silence fell over the group Ruby waited tensely for her sister's team to come to a decision. She couldn't help but feel the pressure of their eyes on her and it was making her uncomfortable… still, she stayed silent.

"Alright," Weiss' voice was soft and compassionate as she stared at her blonde teammate with concern and empathy. "But if you're not back in one hour, we'll come find you."

"Where- where will you two be?" Weiss turned to Ruby, trying her hardest to suppress her hostility.

"Well," Ruby tilted her head contemplatively before her eyes lit up and she looked up to Yang with a bright smile. "It's a really nice day, so how about we go have a snack or something outside? I saw some picnic tables next to this big tree so there's shade and it's really pretty out there!"

Again, everyone was struck silent as they stared at the exuberant, childish girl with a brilliant smile… that had tried to kill each and every one of them. Weiss in particular was dumbstruck as she gaped at her. _Okay, this is just bizarre! We're spent all this time searching for her, and then fighting her, only for Yang's little sister to just appear in front of us smiling like nothing happened and acting like she wants to be friends? This is just… too bizarre! I mean, she has a point though. She's not armed, this is Beacon, one of the safest places in the world and if they're going out towards the courtyard, that's a pretty public place…_

"Yeah… that sounds nice." Yang gave a wistful smile to her sister.

Weiss understood how relieved and hopeful Yang must be… _But I feel like she's letting her sentimentality get in the way of her judgement._

"I'll see you guys back at the dorm in an hour."

Without so much as looking back, Yang and Ruby walked off together down the halls, leaving her team with an immense feeling of unease.

* * *

Throngs of students meandered around the campus from place to place, and many of them walked by the courtyard on their way to their destinations due to its central location. Still, despite the beautiful day, Ruby and Yang managed to find a quiet and modestly secluded bench next to the big old tree.

The warm mid day sunlight beamed down upon them, the radiant heat pleasantly warming their skin as two sisters sat across from each other enjoying their first meal together for the first time in what Yang felt had been far too long.

"I love strawberries! This is great!" Ruby took a bite out of a particularly large strawberry, it's sweet but somewhat sour flavor making her hum with contentment as she shut her eyes, savoring every nuance of the taste.

"Yeah, I know. They're your favorite, and with this nice weather we're having, it seemed like a good idea." Yang's smile was small and tentative as she watched Ruby indulge in her snack.

"You know, I had strawberries on some ice cream when I was still with Torchwick, it was the first time I'd had them but I just you know, kinda felt like I should have them, I really liked them. I guess now I know why huh?" She gave a bright smile as she discarded the end of the strawberry.

"Yeah…" Yang's expression darkened as her gaze fell to the wooden table. Doubt and sadness swirled around her, she just couldn't bring herself to meet her sister's eyes. _I- I knew this wouldn't be easy, but, with how she was acting, I kinda hoped that KO by Thistle had brought her memories back._

"So… your new team, they know about you and Torchwick? Were they in on it too?" It took everything Yang had to force her gaze to rise and meet the Ruby's steady but… somehow cold stare.

"So, I guess we're just jumping right into to all this aren't we?" Ruby's shoulders slumped as she leaned forward, pushing aside her small plastic box still half filled with her favorite food.

"I mean, Ruby, looked at everything that's happened. You went missing, me and Dad were worried sick! Even Uncle Qrow wrote to us and called as often as he could during his mission. Then, when I finally hear anything about it, it's because you tried to kill two of my friends!" Finally, all the rage and pain she's held back for so long was set loose as she stared into her sister's silver eyes.

"Blake, Sun, Penny and Thistle, at the docks you attacked all three of them and put Sun in the hospital. That's the first time anyone had seen you for sure since you disappeared! I- I didn't want to believe it sis…" Her voice was quivering, whether it was with sadness or anger Ruby really couldn't tell. "I told them that it couldn't be possible. You're a sweet and caring person, I told them that! Then, we all went looking for answers, we did everything we could to find you and then, you found us…"

"We had Torchwick down, we could have brought him in and put this whole thing to rest. Then you found us, knocked us all on our asses and then-" Yang gripped the edge of the table with her trembling hands so hard that she felt her fingers compress the wood in her fist. "You… you went to his side. I called for you and you just went to him and he smiled at you."

"After that, even after all of that, my team was still determined to bring you back home." Yang's body relaxed and the rage ebbed from her eyes, leaving only a desolate sadness behind. "They wanted you back home, safe and sound you know? We- we went all the way to Mountain Glenn, fought through hordes of Grimm and then… I got captured."

"When I came to, I was brought to Torchwick. When I told him I was your sister… he got angry, really, really angry, which I could totally understand… but what he said next, that was just… I still don't know what to think about it." She covered her face with both her hand and let out as much anxiety as she could in a long, deep exhale.

"Yang… please, what did he say?" As Ruby spoke, Yang felt anger flare up in her chest… but she forced it down as her eyes met her sister's wide, pleading gaze.

"I-" Her words died on her lips as rage bit into her heart and deep sadness chilled her soul. With a shaky breath, she folded her hands in front of her and looked down from sister's oppressive eyes. _Should I really tell her? After all Torchwick has done, after all Ruby has done for him? He's in prison now, it's over, there's no- there's no reason I should tell her… but…_

 _"_ _Sorry Goldie Locks, I can't tell you where she is right now. I'm counting on you though, you're my backup plan kid."_ Torchwick's words echoed through Yang's mind… painfully. As much as she tried, she couldn't shake those damn words! She gritted her teeth as tight as she could as her fists balled up, turning her knuckles white… and the, her body went almost limp, as though she'd lost some invisible fight. _Damn it! Fine!_

"After I was captured he- he said "I don't want her ending up in jail or worse. Just keep her safe, whatever it takes.", that's what he said... he was talking about you Ruby." Yang's eyes were a cold purple as she stared almost blankly at Ruby who only looked back at her with shock… until a tiny smile graced her lips, filling Yang with another pang of rage.

 _Roman said that… about me?_ The tiny smile had evolved into barely concealed beaming as Ruby closed her eyes and looked to the sky, the radiant beams of sun warming her eyelids as she let those words ruminate within her, thinking them again each time in Roman's voice.

"I think he really cared about you sis." Yang's suddenly gentle and understanding voice shook Ruby from her trance. "I don't think you were ever evil, I think you were just… misguided."

"Yang, I know this may be impossible for you to understand, but I lived with Roman, he has a good heart, I've seen it. When I woke up, I had nothing… I was nothing." Those last words seemed to bear all the terror and loneliness she felt whenever she tried to think to her past. Even Yang's heart broke just a little bit more at how utterly empty Ruby sounded as she spoke.

"I was nothing, but even when I didn't know who I was, Roman saw something in me, he gave me a reason to move forward. I fought for him and yeah, maybe at first it was for completely selfish reasons but, as time went on… I became closer to him and to the people who were loyal to him. W-we became a family Yang. The only family I know." A painful smile formed from her lips, mix of happy nostalgia and melancholy that felt somehow more uncomfortable than just sadness alone.

Yang visibly flinched at Ruby's words as she felt her heart may be torn in two, both from what she said… and just how happy she sounded, talking about a criminal as she would have spoke about her actual sister not all that long ago. Now… _I- I don't mean anything to her._

"Oh! No, I- I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!" Ruby bolted up, her voice brimming with guilt and worry as she frantically tried to make the situation better. "It's just, you know, everything before I woke up as Roman's hostage, it's all just… darkness. Every time I try to think back before then I- I just feel so cold and empty."

Tears glistened on the surface of her silver eyes that reflected Yang's face back at her like mirrors before streaming down her cheeks. Her soft lips quivered and her trembling body quaked the table as Ruby's breaths became increasingly rapid and shallow and her heart hammered in her chest. Her mind reached against her will, into the darkness that terrified her, she felt her body go weak as nausea swept over her. _I- I won't go back. I won't go back I won't go back I won't go back! There's just nothing there… I don't want to be back in that dark, cold room alone, not again! I- I need to... I need to-_

"Ruby!" Yang jumped up as instinct took over her senses and burned away all the anger and sadness she had, leaving her only with the desire to protect her baby sister. Suddenly, Ruby snapped out of her downward spiral, her eyes she didn't even remember closing shot open.

"I- I'm sorry…" She spoke in barely a whisper, her face blank as she fell back to her seat, her arms resting at her sides.

"Ruby what was that?" Yang begged helplessly as she stood over the fragile, shaking girl, Ruby's hands held together softly her face pale as though all the blood had been drained from her small body.

"That," Ruby let out a small, pitiful laugh as her hand weakly fell to her chest in an attempt to calm her still racing heart. "That's what happens, when I try to go back."

"W-what do you mean?" A cold and heavy feeling weight uncomfortably in Yang's stomach as she watched her sister try to regain her composer. Part of her though, a small part, wanted to just… stop, to just leave, because she knew, she may not be able to handle what Ruby said next.

"When I try to think back before I woke up, I get this really bad feeling. It's not like pain, but it kinda hurts at first, but when I think too deep into that darkness… I just feel like nothing. I- I guess, in a way, it's like I'm dead, but I'm also alive. It's really the worst feeling and I can't even really describe it that well." Ruby swallowed back the sobs that were choking her throat and forced herself onward.

"You know, it's actually getting worse? Like, the longer I lived with Roman, the more experiences I had and the more I came to… to love him, the more that darkness hurt. I guess it's because I started building something like a life. Roman was like a father to me and every day brought something new and that darkness, it only seemed to stand out more and more in my memories."

Yeah, Yang was right… she was hurting now… hurting a lot. Ruby's words, all of them, caused her different levels of pain, but what cut deepest was that someone like Torchwick took the place of Taiyang… their real dad and a good man.

"So," Ruby carried on, seemingly oblivious or indifferent to the pain her sister was in. "You kinda get why I've made it my sort of life's mission to never try to recapture my past. Always move forward, that's my thing, I guess."

"I- I understand Ruby." Yang forced herself through every word, she felt as fragile as the thinnest glass, and one more hit… would break her. "I'm so sorry. Everything you've been through, I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you when you needed me the most."

"Well, you tried to be, I just tried to kill you every time you got close." Ruby giggled, feeling her heart easing a little. _This is so weird. I- I was never able to open up like this, even to Roman, I never really told him how… losing my memory made me feel. I barely know this girl but, for some reason, I feel safe enough with her to talk to her like this. I wonder if that's because of who she is as a person or because some kind of lasting connection that still exists between us from before?_

"Yeah… that made it kinda hard." Yang grinned at her sister as she leaned casually back, feeling the tension easing in her chest. _This is crazy. She's right, she's tried to kill me and my team multiple times and yet, this feels nice, talking to her like this. She's still the same Ruby… maybe what side you're on doesn't really change who you are. Maybe the world really isn't that simple._

"Yang…" Ruby's tone was heavy and dark, her eyes fixed on Yang's her their smiles faded at once. "Roman is… he's part of my past now. He's not coming back, I know that. After he got arrested, I was lost, in a lot of ways. I- I didn't know who I was or what I would do without him… and then Mercury, Emerald and Cinder found me. I was scared and- well, I ended up fighting them. When they saw how good I could fight…"

"They offered me a place at Haven academy." Her voice was serious but Yang could tell there was a hint of hesitation and apology in her tone…

 _She's… afraid to tell me that? She- she really doesn't want to hurt me._

"They don't know anything about my past, only that I lost my memories and that I knew how to fight. I'm moving forward and, without Roman, this is the way forward… I can feel it." Her silver eyes burned with conviction as she looked to her sister. "Please, I'm just- I'm just trying to make life make sense again. I'm trying to leave my past behind. I have until the end of this tournament to decide if I really want to go to Haven with them. Yang, I think I want to become a Huntress."

"D-did you say Haven?" Yang felt numb and cold again. "But… that's so far away. W-why don't you come to Beacon? You have less than two years until you're old enough to enroll and with how strong you've become, you'll get in no problem! You could stay with dad in Patch and-"

"Yang." Ruby's cold voice cut through Yang's babbling, forcing her to a stop as she looked to her sister. Her cold gaze turned into a gentle and sorrowful frown as she spoke. "I- I know how you feel about me, but you have to understand, I don't know you well enough at all to- to call you my family."

That was it… that did it. The strength Yang had been maintaining to keep herself together… and those words were all it took to destroy any shred of strength she had left. Her heart felt like it had been turned to solid ice and before she even knew what was happening… her cheeks felt wet.

 _My little sis… she's gone. Everything we've done, our entire lives together and a bump on her head was enough to… oh Ruby! W-why did this happen!? I promised, I've always promised dad I would protect her. Every time we went out somewhere, every time I took her along with me to Vale or just into town, I promised him, every single time… that I'd keep my baby sis safe. After mom passed away when we were little, I stepped up and did everything I could to take her place, to make the hurt as bearable as possible for her. I practically raised her. All of it- all of it's gone…_

"Yang…" A tender, warm touch brought Yang from the turmoil in her heart as a gentle hand fell on to her own. As Ruby held her sister's hand, Yang's sobs slowly faded as she looked to Ruby with broken, but hopeful eyes. For a long moment, neither said anything as Ruby gently rubbed her thumb over the side of Yang's fist, over and over as she smiled at her with warmth and compassion.

"R-Ruby…" Her voice was strained through her tight throat as tears kept flowing, the warm drops splashing down onto the back of Ruby's hand,before rolling down onto her own and still… Ruby just smiled.

"I don't remember you, so, I can't call you my sister… but maybe friends, would be a good place to start?" Her warm smile mingled with the hope and caring in her voice as she slowly and gently pulled her hand back. Yang simply stared at her with wide lilac eyes.

"Friends?" Yang blinked, seeming to still be reeling from the blow to her heart.

"Yeah, I mean, after all we've been through, I'd completely understand if you didn't want to." Despite Ruby's unwavering smile, there was a note of sadness in her voice. "Still, I think you and I could still be friends. I- I've never opened up to anyone about what it really feels like… that darkness, not even Roman. You're really easy to talk to and… everything I did, I did to protect the people I cared about!"

"Friends…" Yang echoed again, this time, softly and contemplatively as her eyes drifted up to the sky. _I've been dreaming of the day I could have my baby sister back… this might not be perfect, but it's a start. Maybe spending more time with me will- will bring something of her back._

"I think…" Yang took a deep, steadying breath, calming her nerves and relaxing her throat. As her gaze fell back to her sis- no, her friend, she gave a soft but pain filled smile. "I think friends would be a good place to start."

"Really!?" Ruby's eyes lit up with exuberance and excitement and her smile beamed as bright as the sun. "This'll be great! I'm so happy, we're going to have such a good time! I promise I won't try to blow anyone up!"

"Ruby!" Yang gave a scolding look, forcing her new… friend to smile apologetically as she rubbed the back of her head and stuck her tongue out. Even though she still felt a deep longing for the relationship she once had with Ruby… she couldn't help but feel happy.

 _Friends… it's not nothing._

The two new friends talked, burning away their hour together, smiling the whole time.

* * *

"So, how was your playdate?" Mercury grinned as Ruby came through the door into their room.

"Actually… not bad." She smiled, purposefully and completely ignoring Mercury's attempt to tease her.

"You were with her for a while, hope you aren't getting too attached." Mercury's tone softened with worry as he looked over her happy demeanor.

"Well of course I was with her for a while." She gave him a pouting look before turning to a bed pressed against the side of a wall, atop which sat Cinder, look back at her expectantly.

"I mean… that's why you brought me here right? To get into Yang's head and her team's?" Ruby looked questioningly to her new leader with both Mercury and Emerald following her gaze.

"Yes, and I think you're doing a wonderful job. From what I heard, you're quite the actress." She gave Ruby a pleased but devious smile.

"Wait, how did you know?" Ruby cocked her head in confusion.

"She had me keeping an eye on you and come on, like I was really going to miss you trying to charm your way into not getting outed. I thought it would be hilarious to watch awkward little Ruby trying to lie, I guess that'll teach me to judge a book by its cover." Emerald shrugged.

"You sound disappointed. Don't worry, maybe I could give you a lesson sometime." Ruby gave a smug grin as she leaned slightly forward towards Emerald who just scowled playfully at her.

"Anyway," Ruby looked back to Mercury who sat on the floor, playing with his scroll. "I did what I had to and yeah, I had fun, but I never forgot why I was there."

"I think you were just worried about me." Ruby's smile softened as she walked to Mercury and sat on the floor beside him.

"Worried that you'd screw up maybe." He chuckled, right up until a hard elbow from Ruby nearly pushed in off balance and knocking his Scroll from his hand.

"Jerk." She huffed as she crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Real mature." He rolled his eyes and picked up Scroll up off the floor, a small smile brightening his face as soon as he was turned away from the girl beside him.

"Ruby did an excellent job and remember, we have our first match of the tournament tomorrow and I want our little actress to take my spot." Immediately after cinder spoke all eyes immediately rushed to her wide in surprise.

"R-really?" Ruby asked cautiously and dubiously, echoing the feelings of her two other teammates.

"Yes. I'm eager to see what you can do." Her sly grin grew even more devious as her picked up her Scroll and flipped through it. "Tomorrow's match should be easy. Do try not to disappoint me."


	29. Repeat

"How'd it go?" Blake said as she looked up from her book to their door as a tall blonde walked in.

"It went… weird mostly." She shrugged. "Where's Weiss and Thistle?"

"They went to do a sparring match to pass time. With Ruby back Thistle's feeling the pressure to not make it zero for three if she and your sister meet up in the tournament." A look of worry flashed across Blake's eyes, but only very briefly before her normal, neutral expression returned.

"I see." Yang's shoulders slumped, feeling pretty emotionally drained she made her way to her bed, really wanting to settle in for a midday nap, but feeling far too restless to do so. Instead she just flopped down onto her mattress, haphazardly flinging her shoes off as she collapsed with a heavy sigh.

"What happened, if you don't mind talking about it that is?" Blake asked curiously, marking the page she left off on before closing her book as dropping it onto her bed.

"Well, her memories haven't come back. She said her new team doesn't know anything about her time with Torchwick and by the way they acted in the halls when they saw us, I'm pretty sure she's telling the truth." She couldn't even summon up the energy to turn her head to her partner as she spoke.

"What about Ruby… how's she doing?" Blake asked tentatively, having a feeling that the subject was what Yang really wanted to talk about.

"She's… healthy, I guess. She's changed so much since she's been missing, but then, in a lot of ways, she's still the same goofy kid I know and love. She's still compassionate, which is weird considering she tried to kill us, but she's also a lot more confident and assertive. She's not the same naive girl either, she's been living with thieves, murderers and terrorists and even considered Torchwick to be her family. Without him… I think she's feeling really lost." With more effort than it should have been, Yang slowly brought her hands up and rested the back of her head against her palms as she lay there staring at the ceiling.

"I- I can empathize with that." Blake's voice was dark and sorrowful and her eyes seemed to dull as her thoughts drifted to a past that seemed so distant yet, at the same time, the pain left in her heart still felt so… fresh.

"W-when I was in the White Fang…" Her words were soft and hesitant, with great strength she compelled herself to meet Yang's lavender eyes and continue. "There was someone I cared very deeply for and I did a lot of bad things for them because of that. When I finally realized all the suffering I was causing, I left and I gave myself a second chance… that's why I'm here. Maybe Ruby is in the same position I was." _After I left Adam…_

"She said she wants to become a Huntress, like, go to Haven Academy with her new team." Yang's voice was distant and thoughtful, her mind wallowing in the implications of what Ruby said.

"Maybe…" Blake hesitated once more, she knew that was she was going to say might hurt her partner, however after only a moment of internal debate, she took a deep inhale… and then exhaled, steeling herself to say what she felt needed to be said.

"Maybe, that would be what's best for her." She admitted softly as her gaze quickly fell to the floor, her courage crumbling as she imagined the pain in Yang's eyes…

"Maybe you're right…"

"Are you okay with that?" Blake's amber eyes glistened with empathy and compassion for her friend. Yang's face was… worryingly neutral as she just stared upwards and another long moment of silence dragged between them.

"I don't know Blake… I just want her to be okay." Yang swallowed back the urge to cry and just shut her eyes, tuning out everything as best she could.

 _I- I just don't know. Haven… we'd never see each other, but to her, I'm not her sister anymore. It wouldn't be that hard on her, and Mercury and Emerald really seem to care about her, so she'd have a team that could support her. We… we're friends now, so we could still call each other, write letters… damn it… I'm crying again…_ With a trembling breath, she tried her best to let sleep take her as Blake helplessly watched tears roll down her cheeks.

* * *

"Bring it Schnee!" Thistle growled with a cocksure grin as she took a fighting stance, her knives in hand and about a foot chain dangling below her wrists.

"You'll rue the day you decided to cross me Tsvetok!" Weiss fell into her lunging pose, ready to go on the offensive at a drop of a pin, her sword aimed right at her adversary.

A tense quiet fell between the two of them as they stood twenty paces away from each other in the center of the vacant combat hall. They glared each other down, waiting for the first move to be made. In their minds they ran dozens of scenarios in rapid fire, each having intimate knowledge of their adversary's strengths and weaknesses.

 _I can keep her in mid range with my knives and wear her out. She's fast but all it'll take is a few good hits to put her down. If I can force her into the defensive it'll be game over!_ Thistle's grip tightened around the handle of her knives. _Still, that's easier said than done._

 _Okay, stay calm. Thistle's powerful but she's limited to medium and short range combat. I should play it cautiously and keep her at a distance. She's most dangerous on the mid range so if I have to, getting close would be the next best option._ She took a deep breath as rotated her dust revolver.

The pin dropped! Thistle swung her arms with great force, rapidly extending her chains as her knives whipped towards Weiss, but with a soft breath a glyph ignited under the heiress' feet and threw her backwards before gracefully landing on her feet only moments before two recurved knives on the end of long chains slashed through the space she had occupied only moments earlier.

 _Time to go on the offensive now that I'm out of range of her chains!_ Weiss held her sword up in front of her, standing with flawless grace like a work of art as three glyphs appeared in the air before her.

 _Crap!_ Thistle gritted her teeth as the glyphs launched a barrage of high speed ice spikes at her. She pulled her arms back as fast as she could, bringing her chains off the ground.

Ice met metal as Thistle's chains and blades lashed around in the air, propelled to extraordinary speeds by her explosions that made the area sound as though they were in the heart of a thunderstorm. A the explosions ebbed and beautiful fragments of ice rained down like snow, their first exchange had ended, neither seemed to have put forth any significant effort.

"Not bad Weiss." Thistle smiled confidently, but in the back of her mind, she was frantically trying to come up with a plan. _I could chase her, but it seems like she's baiting me, if I get her pinned against a wall I might have a shot, but she's too fast with her glyphs. Still, I can't let her keep me at long range to wear me out._

"Not so bad yourself." Weiss grinned as she readied for her next attack. _Her semblance is some serious trouble. I can't afford to take a hit from her, staying long range and playing it safe. Thistle is impulsive, it won't be long before she does something reckless like-_

 **Boom!**

A near deafening explosion rang out as the entire room quaked from the explosion that shook the ground beneath Thistle's feet as she literally launched herself forward like a small, angry ballistic missile right at her opponent.

 _Like that!_ Fear and adrenaline washed over Weiss and in the single second she had to make a move she shot up layer upon layer of defensive glyphs in a row between her and the incoming Thistle. They did little more than slow her down as she smashed head first through each one… but it was enough. Weiss rolled out of the way just as Thistle rushed past, bringing herself to a stop with another explosion to counter her momentum.

 _Now!_ Weiss thrust her sword up into the air and a glyph appeared right below the still airborne Thistle whose eyes went wide as she familiar glow.

In the next instant a pillar of ice shot forth from beneath the redhead but was instantly blown apart as another explosion rang out. Weiss glared in frustration and Thistle spun her body around in mid fall and swung her arm towards her partner with her chain following very close and very fast behind.

 _I let myself get into mid range!_ Weiss' teeth clenched as she held her sword up in front of her and summoned a glyph just before a powerful impact sent her flying against the wall, her back slamming painfully into the solid surface with almost all the force of Thistle's explosion behind her.

Thistle landed on her feet, her chains retracting in her spools until her knives came to rest once again in her fists while Weiss fell to the floor, her sword falling beside her as she groaned in pain. She waited for her leader, feeling a little disappointment at how easy that was. Shakily, Weiss grabbed her sword and slowly got to her feet, glaring defiantly at foe.

 _This is ridiculous! She's able to blow away everything I hit her with! She's powerful, I knew that, but this is the first time we've really fought. Still, Yang's sister managed take us both and it was only because we surprised her together that we won… so how did she do it? I was only lucid for the last half of their fight… but I think I have an idea!_ With a deep, steadying breath she commanded her body to relax. With a spin of her revolver she readied for the next bout.

"Come on Weiss, I hope you're not going easy on me!" Her sarcastic tone conflicted with the seriousness in her soft purple eyes as they narrowed at her leader. Taking a very slight step back she let one of her knives go, its chain catching it a foot from the ground.

"Humf!" She sneered with a devious smirk. "You wish!"

In a blur Weiss jammed her sword into the ground, channeling as much power as she could into her next attack. Suddenly, half a dozen glyphs surrounded Thistle, her eyes grew wide as she looked around her… and then back to Weiss whose devious and smug grin only grew as she saw the fear in her girlfriend's eyes. _I'm only going to surprise her like that once. If this doesn't knock her out…_

In the next instant Thistle found herself being bombarded on all sides by powerful shards of ice! Explosion after explosion sent crystallized powder through the air, from the outside a very beautiful but very loud scene… but from the inside, Thistle was beginning to panic.

 _Not again! This is just like with Ruby on the train!_ Thistle bared her teeth against the onslaught of ice, each of her explosions blowing them away before they could even make contact. Frantically she lashed her chains around her to block the incoming ice, but it was no use, as soon as she thought she saw a pattern, Weiss would instantly change it without letting up on attack.

 _I don't have a choice, I- I have try…_ With a long, deep breath, Thistle focused as much as she possibly could as poured her strength into her semblance and braced herself...

 **Boom!**

A devastating concussive wave obliterated all the glyphs at onces and nearly knocked Weiss off her feet from the powerful rush of air that slammed into her, only staying in place back holding on to her sword as she fell into a kneel! Her pure, snow white hair whipped around in the turbulent gusts before everything fell into an ominous silence and the icy dust settled.

"Thistle!" Weiss ran forward, completely forgetting her weapon in her panic. She fell to a stop as her knees hit the hard ground beside her girlfriend who laid motionlessly with her face on the floor. Gently but as quickly as she could, Weiss rolled Thistle onto her back.

"W-Weiss… I- I think you won that round." Thistle coughed through a weak chuckled as she smiled reassuringly at her girlfriend.

"What happened?" Weiss' voice was soft but her pale blue eyes glistened with worry as she put her arm behind the smaller girl's shoulders to carefully help her up.

"You kicked my ass, thought was was pretty clear." Her smile didn't falter… but there was just something in her voice… fear?

"Come on, you need to sit down. I'll get you a drink." Just like that time in the train after they'd both been beaten to near uselessness by Ruby, Thistle and Weiss put their arms around each other's shoulders for support as Weiss guided her partner to the modestly comfy seats surrounding the practice arena.

"I'll be back," Weiss gave a worried but stern look to her worn out teammate. "Please don't wander off before I do."

"Whatever you say leader." Weiss recoiled slightly at the mocking tone in Thistle's voice.

 _I know her, she doesn't let her temper get the better of her unless she's feeling defensive about something._ Weiss frowned as Thistle fell back in her seat with an exhausted sigh. _I think I get it_.

"Okay, see you in a minute…" With one last fretful look, Weiss turned around, credit card ready as she made her way to the vending machines down the hall.

"This sucks…" Thistle let out a long and frustrated groan as she looked to the ceiling. _First with Ruby and now Weiss. I guess, I know Weiss is super smart, she was bound to figure it out sooner or later, I had just hoped it would have been a lot later. I still couldn't do it, I've been practicing all this time and I haven't even come close to-_

"Here, drink this, it'll help." Weiss had reappeared beside her, a sports bottle filled with a soothing blue liquid in her hand extended out to her. Looking up, Thistle could see the light blush warming her pristine white skin, seeing that, she couldn't help but smile, her defenses falling as she took the bottle.

"Thank you… I'm sorry I got kinda moody at you." Thistle looked up to her apologetically before clicking open the bottle as chugging the sweet and somewhat tangy blue drink. Damn right it was refreshing!

"It's okay." Weiss smiled seeing the contentedness on her face. Feeling the tension between them dissolve, the leader plopped herself down beside Thistle and leaned back, willing her tense muscles to relax.

"I think… I know why you got angry at me." She began cautiously as she turned to her teammate beside her.

"Of course you would…" Thistle sighed once more, shutting the cap on her bottle and letting it and her arms fall to her sides.

"Thistle… you aren't immune to your own Semblance, are you?"

"Damn it." With a low, exasperated growl she brought her small hands over her face, rubbing the sweat from her eyes. "Yeah… my explosions wear down my aura fast if I use them too close to my body."

"So basically, everyone thinks you're a tank because you can blow away pretty much anything that's thrown at you, but in reality, you're actually a glass cannon." Weiss' cool, analytical tone annoyed Thistle for just a moment… but it passed and before she knew it, a proud smile formed from her lips.

"Yeah, you've got me." Thistle brought her legs up in her chair, her small body easily fitting on the seat as she hugged her knees to her chest. "My semblance, it's most effective when my enemies don't know what they're dealing with. I can blast away most attacks and deal a lot of damage, it's pretty intimidating and I use that to throw them off guard."

"That's actually brilliant!" Weiss stared at her with wide, impressed eyes, behind which Thistle knew those gears were turning as she thought through every nuance of her semblance. "When you channel your explosions through your knives and chains it doesn't do anything to your aura, so opponents won't get too close, but their ranged attacks seem useless, and once you get them into mid range, you can easily overwhelm most adversaries!"

"Most." Thistle said bitterly, squeezing herself tighter into a ball. "Ruby, it took her all of about ten seconds to figure out how to deal with my semblance when Penny and I fought her, then, by the time we fought on the train, it seemed like it took nothing for her to figure out what you just did. Even when I had her in medium range, she just used everything I threw at her and turned it against me! Once she got close, it was over, my semblance begins to fail with rapid fire attacks from all over because the toll on my aura is just too much."

"And what you did just then, when I had you surrounded with my glyphs, Was that some sort of attempt to cover for that weakness?" Weiss tilted her head curiously to the side.

"Something like that. I figure, if I can produce one big explosion all at once from all over my body, I can use it to counter a lot of situations like that."

"And get yourself killed in the process!" Weiss glared scoldingly at her. "If I were an enemy, the end of our little match would have been very different. What do you think would happen if you knocked yourself out like that in the field!?"

"I-" Thistle opened her mouth, but as she met Weiss' stern but compassionate and worried eyes, any protest died right there. Her body relaxed as sadness and guilt swept over her. "You're right… even when I do manage to tank my own hit, the explosion creates a vacuum and sucks the air out of my lungs. I've been practicing in secret but that happens every time I try."

"I know you like to get caught up in the thrill of a fight, but in a situation like that, when you start getting overwhelmed, you need to think-"

"More like you?" Thistle smiled playfully as she cut off her girlfriend.

"Well it certainly wouldn't hurt!" Weiss put her fists to her hips with a feigned huff of annoyance before smiling back at Thistle. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I'm alright, a little sore but that's kinda what happens when you blow yourself up." She blushed, her gaze falling away from Weiss' dazzling pale blue eyes.

"Then do you want to head back? I bet Yang is back by now and nothing seemed to have gone badly today despite Ruby suddenly appearing in our school." She still felt a lingering feeling of worry in the back of her mind about that, but everything seemed… good.

"Yeah, I guess that would be-" Thistle was cut off as she felt a cool sensation gently envelope her hand. With a hot blush her head shot up to Weiss who blushed almost as bright as she did.

"You know, it's a really nice day… h-how about we get some ice cream before heading back?" Weiss' chest felt at once tight with nervousness and embarrassment but also light and warm, like there was sunlight in her heart as she felt Thistle's warm hand held in her own.

"Weiss… that sounds lovely." Thistle brimmed with excitement and happiness as she gently squeezed her girlfriend's hand as they stood up together from their seats. "I'll buy."

"I mean, you did lose so-" Weiss felt Thistle's small shoulder bump against hers as the redhead gave her a warning glare, but her smile never once faded as they giggled and walked hand in hand out of the training room.

* * *

"Ruby Rose…"

"Y-yes?" Ruby sat nervously… very nervously as she fidgeted with her cape in the office of none other than the Headmaster of Beacon academy; Professor Ozpin.

"Do you know why you are here?" He asked, his demeanor calm… unnervingly calm.

"Um… because you asked me to be?" Ruby's voice was barely a squeak as she looked up at Ozpin, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

"That's not what I mean Ms. Rose." His voice became more stern as he folded his hands over his cane in front of his mouth.

"O-oh…" She dipped her head, raising her eyes up to him as she made herself defensively small. "You're asking why I'm at Beacon."

"You've been missing for quite a while, your friends and family have been very worried. No one has heard or seen anything from you since your skirmish with the now captured criminal Roman Torchwick." His stern gaze softened as he leaned more casually back in his chair. "Neither the police or your family could find you and yet, here you are, appearing healthy and strong. Strong enough to be registered to fight in the Vytal festival tournament with students from Haven, a school you have not attended."

Now, Ruby was beginning to panic. _Crap, what do I do, what do I say? Even Cinder looked worried when I was called up here. Oh no, he's looking at me! What do I say?!_

"Well Ms. Rose?" He prodded again, his voice now having the slightest hint of impatience, but that was more than enough to skyrocket Ruby's already barely manageable stress.

"I- I um… I- well it's just-" Her incoherent babbling only grew less and less coherent until she just forced herself to shut up and shut her eyes. _Okay Ruby, just, calm down. Inhale, exhale, repeat._ After taking her calming breaths she steeled herself. _I- I know what I have to do._

"Professor Ozpin…" Her eyelids opened and her silver eyes brimmed with conviction as she met the headmaster's expecting gaze. "There a reason I'm here, and I'll tell you, but I just want to say that it's going sound a little crazy."

"I've heard a great many things that may sound crazy but I know to be true. Go on Ruby, I'm listening." Ozpin's expression softened with a reassuring smile as he patiently waiting for the young girl before him to speak.

"Well… it all started that night, with this," Slowly and almost ceremoniously, Ruby's hand rose up, the length of her hand pulling back her hair. There it was; a large, obvious scar on the right side of her forehead, so large it was barely hidden by her bangs. "I got this when I fought Torchwick. Somehow, during our fight when I tried to stop him, he overpowered me and then I hit my head."

"I- I don't remember anything from before I woke up after getting knocked out by Roman. I- I have no memories of my past aside from my name and apparently, how to fight." She watched the Headmaster for his reaction, but aside from a very momentary look of surprise, his expression looked more curious than anything, so she continued.

"When I woke up, I was alone in a dark room. I- I was terrified. I had no idea where I was, who I was, or what was going to happen to me." The pain and fear in her expression, no matter what she did, whenever she talked about first waking up, it all flooded back to her. Still, she bit back her fear and pressed onward.

"That- that's when Roman came to me. I guess, at first he wanted to ransom me, but after I told him I had no idea who I was, he kinda gave up on that idea. Instead, he decided to bring me in on his organization." Now that got a very definite and pronounced look of surprise from the Headmaster.

"I- I had nowhere else to go, I knew nothing of my past and honestly… I didn't want to." She looked up at him, tears pooling on the surface of her eyes as she again recalled that darkness. "Do you know what it's like… to be nothing? Every time I try to think back into the darkness that stretches out in my past, I feel like I'm dead, like I'm nothing. It's cold, it's empty… it's dark."

"When Roman offered me a way forward, even though I knew he was a criminal… I took it." Her fists balled around her cape in her lap as she forced back the lingering urge to cry. "I knew what that would mean, but it was the only way forward I had. I felt it in my heart, it was the right path for me."

"I- it wasn't long before… I came to find happiness with them." A fragile, nostalgic smile brightened her face. "I did bad things, but I the time I spend with them, it's still the best moments of my short life. I know Roman has a good heart, it's there and it's hard to find, but I've seen it and I know he cared deeply for me. He was… my family."

"My new life and my old life… they couldn't stay separate forever." Her smile faded and her expression became sharp and focused as she harkened back to her battles against team WYBT. "I was there, at the docks, the night of the dust robbery. I helped Roman steal all that dust and then… a cat faunus girl and monkey faunus boy showed up. You see, it was my job to protect Roman and stop anyone from getting in our way, so I fought them… and I won."

"Then a small girl with red hair and a side braid and another girl with a bunch of swords showed up, I fought them too." As she spoke, Ozpin's expression was neutral but contemplative. She imagined he would wait for the end of her story to tell exactly what he wanted to.

"We got away with the Dust and then we started going to White Fang gatherings, I was just there as a bodyguard for Roman, but I was there when he gave Atlesian weapons to the White Fang… and then, there they were again, the cat faunus girl and the monkey faunus boy." Ruby leaned forward against his desk, her head looking down as the memories came to her.

"Roman chased them in a giant mech, I followed but by the time I fought them, he was already beaten, he was beaten by Team WYBT… my sister's team." That elicited another brief look of surprise from Ozpin.

"They're really strong, your students… I was impressed." She gave him a warm smile. "But I had to save Roman. I stepped in and managed to get him out of there."

"Then… it was on to Mountain Glenn, our secondary location." She let out a soft sigh. "Mountain Glenn was… well, boring mostly. The White Fang did all the loading of the bombs onto the train and Roman was busy planning and organizing everything. Then, Team WYBT showed up again."

"The battle on the train… I did things Professor, I did what I had to, but they were horrible things. I fully intended to kill them for Roman… and I nearly did. Yang, she tried to talk to me, that's- that's when I told her I lost my memory. She wouldn't even fight me… but I attacked her. After that, I moved on to Weiss. She was strong but I managed to beat her…"

"Then that girl showed up." Ruby looked up to him again, her hands clasped together in front of her. "The girl with the short red hair and side braid, her name is Thistle. She's and I… we kinda have unfinished business. Anyway, she and Weiss teamed up and… that's when I was knocked out."

"W-when I came to, I was far away from the train, I'm not sure how, but Roman had… he'd been arrested already." Her hands were shaking and her jaw clenched. "I couldn't do anything and… I was alone again."

"I was lost for a while after that, I was weak and hungry and scared… that's when I met my current team. I ended up fighting them actually, and when they saw what I could do, they offered me a place… a path forward." She smiled up at him, her eyes brimming with hope and gratitude as she thought about her new team.

"I felt it again Professor, the same thing I'd felt when Roman offered me a path forward. In my heart, I knew it was the right thing to do. I- I want to become a Huntress! I know… I know I've caused a lot of suffering, but I can't undo the mistakes I've made. I can only keep moving forward. I still love Roman, but now he's gone, and I may have a second chance… actually, a third chance, at a new life. If you'll let me sir, I want to fight in the tournament, and then, I'm going to Haven Academy, and I'm going to become a Huntress!"

Ruby didn't even realize it at first but she was standing now, leaning towards the headmaster with her silver eyes burning with conviction. However… Ozpin seemed to be getting lost in his own head as he lifted his mug off his desk and stared into the dark liquin inside, gently swirling it around as his warped reflection stared back at him with a complex but somehow sad expression.

"You can't undo the mistakes you've made? Well, at least I can empathize to some degree with your recent struggles." He smiled wistfully as he met Ruby's confused gaze. "However, it seems that through those struggles, you've attained something that few are even blessed with, and even fewer truly appreciate."

"W-what is that?" She asked nervously as she fell back into her seat.

"Perspective." His smiled became more warm and amiable as he place his mug back down.

"Y- you mean…" Her eyes went wide and her heart skipped a beat as his smile grew.

* * *

It was dark now, and a cool breeze swept over the courtyard as Ruby stared up into the night sky, sitting on the top of the picnic table she had spent time with Yang earlier that day. Now however… she was completely alone, staring up blankly at the shattered moon and dazzling stars.

"Hey, way to make us worry." A familiar voice called out from close behind her, shaking her from her own mind.

"Mercury, you scared me!" She whined as she turned to him, swaying her legs softly back and forth just above the grassy ground.

"Yeah well, Cinder sent me to find you, she's not exactly happy that you didn't come straight back after your meeting with Ozpin." He walked around the table, passing in front of Ruby with his hands in his pockets before sitting at the edge of the table beside her.

"He… he said yes." She spoke softly, her eyes still fixed upwards to the glowing sky.

"Seriously!?" His very loud declaration of disbelief rang painfully in Ruby's ears.

"Yeah. I was scared but, I managed." She shrugged.

"What'd you say to him!?" Mercury still couldn't believe it, but Ruby's soft, wistful voice left no doubt that she was serious.

"I just told him the truth." Ruby smiled and gave a very soft laugh.

"Yeah, right." He rolled his eyes as he took his hands from his pockets and put them on the cool wood behind him, bracing himself up.

"I'm serious!" She pouted, puffing out her cheeks. "Maybe if you tried it some time you'd see."

"Yeah well, I think I'll just take your word for it." He chuckled before he felt a soft nudge at his side from Ruby's elbow as she glared up at him with mock annoyance.

"Well, we should get going." He signed as he cracked his neck, readying to get back up.

"Wait." Ruby's soft voice stopped him before he could even begin to put his feet on the ground.

"What's up?" Mercury tilted his head and raised his eyebrow at her as the smaller girl beside him kept her gaze fixed shyly on her lap.

"Um… maybe we could… stay out here for a little bit longer?" She nervously folded her hands in her lap, her bare legs below her shorts warming her almost cold fingers.

"Um, yeah, I mean… I guess." Mercury suddenly found himself in almost the same state of speech as Ruby as he fumbled awkwardly over his words. The two sat together in long silence, Ruby feeling calmed by his presence while Mercury just felt uncharacteristically nervous for reasons he couldn't fathom.

"Isn't it beautiful out tonight?" She smiled softly as she looked back up to the sky.

For a moment, Mercury felt like shrugging; _It's just the sky, it's the same every night._ then… he looked up and then he felt the wonder that seemed to captivate his teammate. A swath of stars cut the night sky in half and the glittering dots of light in the deeper darkness shined like gems in the night… and then he turned back to the girl beside him.

Ruby's face was almost glowing in the pale moonlight, she looked almost unreal. The gentle, cool wind swayed her short hair and he could swear the night sky reflected in her beautiful silver eyes like mirrors… but somehow, it only enhanced the gentle nights glow as it gleamed off her enamored eyes, wide with awe and wonder.

"It's a little cold though. My jacket's nice but it's a bit too chilly for shorts." She grinned bashfully at him, her voice shaking him from his stupor.

"Um…" It took his brain a full five seconds to really start working again. "Do you want to go back in?"

"Nope." She said simply and then…

She fell to her side, her body coming to rest as it leaned against a very surprised Mercury. He stiffened in place as Ruby made herself comfortable at his side, resting her head against his shoulder as she continued to stare up into the cosmos and, after a long moment, he too began to relax, enough to enjoy the quiet, tender moment between them, something he felt that he had never truly experienced.

However, in the back of Ruby's mind, behind the almost blissful happiness she felt, the last words Ozpin said to her still echoed in her consciousness. _"No matter what, you can't be separate from your past, good or bad, it will always be a part of you… even if you don't know it.."_


	30. Closure: Part 1

"Hey… it's been a while." Yang said softly with no small amount of sadness and loneliness in her tone.

Wind swept over the grassy hill overlooking a steep meadow, her long blonde hair swaying in the gentle breeze as she smiled wistfully down at a familiar grave. In her heart she felt a lot of things, so many thing that she wasn't sure which one was hurting the most, but if she had to guess… it was grief.

"I- I know it's been a long time since I last visited you, I mean, normally Ruby's- Ruby's the one who…" With great pains Yang force back her tears and gave a soft trembling breath to the wind.

"Mom… I found her." She barely whispered, her words barely escaping her tight throat. "I think she's lost, in a lot of ways, but she's safe and she seems happy."

"I'm not sure what you'd think of… everything that's happened. Heck, I'm not sure what I think of everything that's happened. You'd probably be really worried and sad, but maybe… proud of her? You know, for finding her own way despite what she's been through? I- I'm a little proud of her honestly, she's gotten so strong." Her voice trembled, she could barely contain the outward force pushing her emotions to the surface.

"She's changed a lot too, sometimes I barely recognize her. Then, there are times when she acts the same as she always has. Oh, and she still loves strawberries! I thought that was nice, it's like, she's still in there, I know she is, she's still Ruby." Her smiled brightened… but only for a moment.

"My team doesn't trust her. I don't blame them. She's made a lot of mistakes and I think she really wants to make things right. She still cares about me… when we talked yesterday, every time I started to cry, she would try to make me feel better. Deep down, she's still kind, sweet little Ruby." Yang's soft but pitiful laugh nearly broke her.

"I have my first match of the Vytal Festival Tournament today by the way!" Yang's visage brightened.

"I wish you could be there cheering me on, but I'll be doing my best! My team is amazing by the way!" Her voice became smoother and more excited. "Weiss is our leader, she can be a bit stuck up sometimes but I think being on a team with us has really helped her become a better person, especially Thistle, I think she's had the biggest impact on her. Weiss works so hard for all of us, she really is a great leader."

"Then there's Blake, she doesn't talk much and she's a bit antisocial, but the little I know about her, I guess that makes sense. Still, she's a really good listener and cares about everyone on the team. She's a really good friend to have." Her smiled warmed and her eyes brightened with thankfulness as she thought to her team.

"And then there's Thistle." Yang gave a brief chuckle. "She's a bit crazy, she has a short temper sometimes but she's probably one of the bravest people I know. In some ways she reminds me of Ruby. She and I butt heads sometimes, but she's actually a really sweet person once you get to know her."

"Um, so yeah, that's my team! Together we're Team WYBT!" She declared proudly, practically beaming down at the small stone marker. "I've learned a lot since I've been at Beacon and I've had a lot of fun. There were bad times, like Mountain Glenn… but there were also really good times, like the dance or yesterday when I got to talk with Ruby!"

"I- I still haven't told Dad." Her voice softened as her eyes dulled with pain and sadness. "I will though, I want him to hear it from me before anyone else."

"Hear what from you?" A weak and weary voice called out from behind her.

"Dad!" Yang spun around, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. "Y-you scared me! I thought you were going to wait back at the house."

"Yeah… I figured it's been too long since I've come to see Summer." He gave a long sigh. He looked tired, his facial hair was unkempt and he looked like he was suffering from a long span of sleep deprivation. He was also thin… she could tell he hadn't been eating enough.

"Dad… there's something I have to tell you." Yang's gaze fell the the grass beneath her as tension and trepidation gripped her heart.

"Ruby's at Beacon, is that what you're going to tell me?" Taiyang's voice sounded bitter, but not towards his daughter, but more at everything that's happened.

'H-how did you know?" She blinked up at him in shock.

"Ozpin called me last night. He told me that Ruby was at Beacon but that you should be the one to tell the details." He didn't sound at all thrilled, he crossed his arms as he leaned against a tree, his short blonde hair looked unusually dull in the warm sunlight.

"I- I see…" Was all Yang could manage before trailing off, her gaze falling once again and a sense of apprehension weighing heavily in her chest. _I didn't think I'd have to tell him right this second, I figured I could build up to it on the ride back to beacon, have time to think through what to say._

"Yang, what is going on?" His voice came out as a broken whimper, his blue eyes shimmering as he looked pleadingly at his daughter.

"Dad…" Her heart ached for him, she knew how he felt, the same confusion and desperation that plagued her since Ruby went missing. Still… _How can I tell him the truth? Then again… how could I not?_

"It's a long story… but I can tell you everything I know."

* * *

"That was a little too easy." Ruby let out a disappointed sigh, her shoulders slumped as she walked into her dorm with Cinder, Neo, Emerald and Mercury behind her.

"A win's a win, besides, it felt nice to blow off some steam on some easy targets." Emerald gave a dark snicker as she sat on the bed.

"Yeah but I barely got to do anything. Inferno Crescent barely got to stretch." She whimpered falling back on her bed and staring up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, we did kinda stomp, but I had fun. You should'a seen the look on that guy's face when right before my boot hit it!" He laughed as he did a poor imitation of their terrified opponent.

"Remember why we're really here Ruby, we've only just begun." Cinder held her cool but devious smile.

"Speaking of which… who's fighting in round two?" Ruby's posed her questions curiously but with a deliberate hint of hopefulness as she looked around to her team.

The room went silent as her team looked around to one another. Emerald and Mercury at once turned to each other and then to Neo whose disguise was so good Ruby might not have recognized her if she didn't know her so well and then… all eyes in the room landed on Ruby.

"We were thinking Mercury and I…" Emerald began hesitantly. As she spoke she could practically see Ruby's disappointment as her heart sank.

"Aww, I really wanted to let loose, I haven't really had a good fight since Mountain Glenn." Ruby grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest and puffed out her cheeks.

"Well then," Cinder's amused tone drew everyone's attention. "Why don't you fight one of us. If you win, you get to decide who fights with you in the second round."

"Seriously?" Emeralds jaw dropped and Mercury's eyebrows raised as they stared at their leader.

"I did say I wanted to see what you could do," Cinder turned to Ruby who was now sitting up and fidgeting nervously under her amber gaze. "So, who will it be?"

"I- I um…" Ruby gulped as she looked around the room. _Okay, kinda feeling the pressure here. Way to put me on the spot, oh geez everyone is looking at me… um, just pick someone!_

"Mercury!" She blurted out before her mind could comprehend what her mouth had done. Her head turned to the side to see a bewildered Mercury staring back at her before his surprise wore off and a cocksure smile took its place.

"Ooh, someone's getting pretty sure of herself." Mercury grinned as he stood up, his eyes never breaking from Ruby's. "So, we gonna do this now or what?"

"Now?" She cocked her head to the side. _I have a bad feeling about this. He's strong and we just finished a match in the tournament… but I want to be in the doubles!_ "Now sounds good."

"The training hall should be empty right now with the tournament going on!" Emerald spoke up looking very amused, like she was watching a train-wreck about to happen.

"Y-yeah…" Ruby trailed off, her apprehension turning into outright fear. With a vigorous shake of her head and a deep breath, she forced her worries away. She turned her head to her dear friend and mentor playing with her hair quietly in the corner. T _his is the same as when I first asked to fight Neo… I did it then and I can do it now… oh, wait, I lost miserably against her._

"Let's go then. Try to put on a good show for us Ruby." Cinder cooed as she stood and made her way to the door.

"Oh this I have to see." Emerald laughed as she followed Cinder.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you too bad." Mercury smiled as he stood up, putting his hands in his pockets before walking towards the door. He turned his head back to the obviously nervous girl and with a high smug grin still in place, winked at her before turning around just in time to miss an angry glare and a soft blush color her face.

Ruby leered at his back and stuck her tongue out at him as Mercury too walked out the door, leaving her feeling less than confident. _Okay, just breath, calm down, I'm a lot stronger than when I first fought Neo. I nearly took down all of Yang's team. I can do this!_

A warm, gentle touch to her shoulder shook Ruby from her internal pep talk. Looking up from her bed her eyes met Neo's, though with her eyes now green and her hair black, it was really hard for Ruby to not feel disconcerted for a moment. However, all of her worries faded away as her mentor gave her an affirming nod and a confident smile, beaming strength into Ruby with just a look.

"Thank you," Her expression softened with gratitude and love as she looked to Neo. An immense feeling of thankfulness welled up in her chest. "I'll do my best!"

Neo and Ruby walked out of the room together, the fear and uncertainty in Ruby's heart was completely snuffed out. _Neo's still here and she still cares about me, she's still supporting me. I- I've been lonely without Roman, but she's an important person in my life too. My life is getting… better. At first I was alone, with nothing, and then Roman found me, and Neo, and we became close and it wasn't long before I considered them family. Now, I have Emerald and Cinder, even Yang in a really twisted way… and Mercury_.

The group made their way to the combat training hall, she felt deep warmth hug her heart. _I had nothing, now, I have people that I care so much about… and I'll do anything to protect them. Roman, I wish you were here, but I'll be seeing you soon and after this is over, I want to tell you about all the things that I've learned and done._

* * *

"Kick her ass Merc!" Emerald cheered calling for blood.

Ruby shot her a hurt look of disbelief, but the mint haired girl only smiled at her and shrugged. Cinder beside her watched quietly, her inscrutable grin the same as ever as she stared at the two combatants on opposite ends of the small stadium.

Ruby felt like the definite underdog, but at least she had Neo silently cheering for her. _Okay, I'll show them!_

With a deep breath she closed her eyes and reached behind her cape. As her hand met the handle of her trusty scythe she pulled it out, feeling a weight leave her back. Her eyelids opened as Inferno Crescent unfurled into the towering and menacing scythe!

Mercury took a very slight step back as Ruby's silver eyes burned into him with a deadly cold that could shatter steel. _Okay, that look in her eyes is new… and I don't like it. Come to think of it, I've never really seen her fight, in our little match earlier none of us really broke a sweat. Alright, then let's test the waters._

The calm before the storm enveloped the stadium, Ruby couldn't hear much beyond the thunderous beating of her own heart. Her eyes were sharp and focused, her senses on high alert as she watched Mercury, waiting for him to make the first move, her grip tightening on the shaft of her scythe.

Heartbeat…

Heartbeat…

Heartbeat…

Instantly the battlefield erupted into action! Mercury sprinted towards his opponent rapidly closing the distance between them! Ruby braced herself, following his moves closely as he drew nearer and nearer, but she didn't move. Despite her charging foe she appeared placid… except for her frigid eyes.

Mercury gritted his teeth. _She's not even going to try to stop me? Fine, then I'll just find out exactly what you're all about!_ Finally, he was in striking distance, her smirk reappeared as he turned his body sideways and launched a powerful kick right towards her face…

A confident grin that she adopted from her mentor formed from her lips. With perfect timing she brought her leg up beneath his and kicked upward as she used the force of her kick to spin her around as she hung her scythe over her shoulder.

Everything went dead silent as her teammates in the stands stared at the scene before them. Ruby had deftly put herself back to back with Mercury, her head barely coming up to his shoulders. With a soft giggle she casually leaned back, pressing herself gently against Mercury.

"Maybe, don't underestimate me?" She leaned back a little harder, but she knew Mercury couldn't move forward. As the shaft of her scythe weighed on her shoulder, the massive blade loomed in front of Mercury, the point of the weapon just barely brushing against his clothes.

In the stands, Emerald looked just stunned while Cinder looked almost impressed. Neo had stood up and threw her fists in the air smiling excitedly. Meanwhile, Mercury and Ruby stood in silence for another long moment before she heard a satisfied huff.

"Okay, you got me me. You're good, but now I know I don't have to go easy on you." Her scythe slowly lifted up, the tip of the blade purposefully trailing gently long his chest until he was finally free.

"For reals this time?" Ruby asked in her usual lighthearted tone as she smiled at him.

"You asked for it!" The two combatants locked eyes and stepped slowly away from each other, the air was electric with tension as they got into fighting poses; Mercury putting his hands up and his right leg back and Ruby holding her scythe blade side down, one boot on top of the smaller end of the blade.

 _Okay, so she's fast and flexible, good with kicks and able to quickly analyze attacks on the fly. She's way better than I expected and that was only one move. I doesn't look like she has a long range option… but I think I'll save that for later, with that big weapon of hers, I should still have the speed advantage!_ His muscles tensed as he brought his right leg back another inch.

"If you're not coming over here," Ruby stepped down on the small of her scythe's blade sending the heaviest part up! Moving with the momentum she twirled the blade like a baton before rearing it back, the blunt butt facing towards mercury.

In a blur of red and black Ruby bolted forward leaving a cloud of rose petals in her wake as she zoomed towards Mercury at breakneck speeds! Suddenly a powerful gust of wind slammed into him as the small girl appeared only inches away smiling up at him.

"I'll come to you." She winked.

 _So much for that!_ Mercury very suddenly found himself on the defensive as Ruby twirled around hitting him with either the blunt or the blade of her Inferno Crescent. Every counter attack he made was knocked away by her scythe altering the trajectory of his kicks just enough for her to avoid them and with the force left over she kept falling into his blind spots to land a succession of rapid fire blows!

 _Damn it! I can't even fight back! Alright, new plan!_ An instant before the next otherwise inevitable and painful blow from her scythe, Mercury fell to the ground and immediately put his weight on his hands as he propelled himself into a spin as he kicked his legs out and he very a very definite impact.

Ruby was forced back, narrowly blocking a direct and devastating kick from Mercury with the hilt of her weapons. The instant he was clear mercury stopped one heel resting on the ground with his leg extending out and the other planted beneath him while one arm supported his upper body.

 **Bang!**

A shot rang out from beneath his boot as he lunged forward at the still recoiling Ruby. In mid air Mercury fell into a drop kick aimed right at the small girl's head!

 _Just like with Weiss…_ Ruby's eyes widened as her body moved almost on its own letting her body fall with the weight of her scythe she fell into a handstand and waited for instant she felt that rush of air.

 _Now!_ Ruby gritted her teeth and slammed her legs together, wrapping around Mercury's torso! She spun around and then slammed him down with all the force she could must combined with the momentum from his own attack!

With a painful sound mercury's body smashed into the floor while Ruby followed the momentum as she pulled up her scythe and leaned back easily to her feet. Groans of pain could be heard behind her as Mercury staggered back up.

 _Seriously?! That was enough to knock Weiss out and he's already up!?_ She gritted her teeth and spun around, her blade reared behind her as she stared down her tough opponent.

"Well that hurt." He grumbled as he brushed the dust off his sleeves. _Okay, that really hurt. I can't let her get another hit like that in. What the hell even was that?! She threw me around like a rag doll!_

"Well, you know, I kinda was hoping you wouldn't get back up." Ruby laughed awkwardly as she took cautious steps back. _He's already seen my semblance and that last trick didn't even do much. I've only got one thing left, I was hoping I wouldn't have to use my fire but he's too strong not to. He's almost as light on his feet as Neo, he's faster than me without my semblance, he's a quick thinker and analyzes things as fast as Weiss and he hits almost as hard as Thistle!_

"Right, like it's going to be that easy." His smug grin was back in place as he took up his offensive pose. _Okay, so she's fast, agile and hits like a truck, but she's low on defense. Sorry Ruby, it's been fun but it's over._

In a blur of grey he kicked into the air and a blast of energy shot out from his boot straight at Ruby. With a sweep of her scythe she cut the round with her blade, but he wasn't done yet! Mercury released a rapid fire barrage of kicks in a circle around him, the first few of which aimed at his opponent to force her back! The white blasts swirled them, far too many to count Ruby braced herself for impact!

The instant he brought his leg back down another blast rang out as he launched himself into a flip with another drop kick. Ruby's eyes widened as his boot fell towards her face, there was no time to evade! In a sweeping motion she parried his leg with her scythe and side stepped out of the way as he fell to the ground, landing in a handspring.

As he got to his feet, his smirk grew and Ruby's heart skipped a beat. In the next moment each of the blasts he'd loosed came raining down upon her, her eyes grew wide with fear. Mercury turned his back as explosions rang out, each of his blasts slamming down with immense force right on top of her.

 _Sorry Ruby, you're feisty but you're done. Still, I had fun we'll have to do this again some-_ He was cut off abruptly as a wave of intense heat washed over him and a bright orange glow bathed the room. A sense of dread crept over Mercury as he slowly turned around.

"No way…" His voice was soft and quiet with denial as the small girl cloaked in black and red stood strong, the ground around her scorched black by fire as the blade of her scythe burned like an inferno over her shoulder. Her black and red cape fluttered in the heat fueled winds and her silver eyes reflected the hot glow that filled the stadium.

Ruby's eyes burned into him as she slowly reared her scythe back behind her, the burning blade facing out as she lowered into a slight crouch. He knew what was coming next. His adrenaline surged as he took a step back, but it was too late!

Burning rose petals floated in the air as Ruby shot forth with a flaming tail trailing behind her like a comet! A blast rang out and just as the mass of blade and fire struck where Mercury had stood, he launched himself out of the way of the direct hit, the the rush of scorching air didn't exactly tickle.

Spinning on her heel Ruby turned to face him as he landed. Her chest burned and her head felt light. _Damn it, even with that I couldn't hit him!? That fire, it burned up all the air, I couldn't breath. I can't risk doing that again or I'll pass out. I used up a lot of Dust blowing away his big attack but he's still going strong, if I don't finish this soon this is going to start going his way fast!_

Mercury was panting for breath and his heart hammered away in his chest as he took another large step away from the small caped girl. _Okay, I can not let that hit me! I'm not letting her get that close again, got to keep her at a distance._

Just as he was about to release another flurry of blasts… the fire on Inferno Crescent was snuffed out. Ruby's posture became more relaxed and casual as put her scythe lengthwise on her shoulders behind her neck and rested her arms lazily over it, just smiling innocently at him.

 _Is- is she giving up?_ His body tenses as watched her in both confusion and fear.

 _I'm only going to get one shot at this. No one ever sees this coming, not Neo or Weiss. If I can get him on the ground, I'll win._ Even as she poured every ounce of energy and strength she had into her muscles readying for the final exchange, she kept her visage relaxed and placid, a laid-back smile warming her face.

Another stretch of silence fell between them and then…

 _This is it!_ Ruby turned into a red and black blur in a puff of petals as she rocketed towards him! He backed away ready to counter the odd attack when Ruby's jumped into the air with all her might and twisted her body into a spin with the blade of her scythe spinning with her with all her weight and momentum behind it!

With a blast from his boots he flung himself out of the way, ready to counter as Ruby fell to the floor… but she didn't. Her blade's tip missed the ground and the blunt outer edge of the the long curved blade rolled along the ground with Ruby flinging her legs out just as her body was aimed at Mercury and then-

 _ **Fwooosh!**_

Her scythe ignited once again and ejected a massive explosion of fire that sent her and her weapon flying right at Mercury! Her boots made a heavy and painful impact into his ribs and a moment later she felt them both falling! With all her upper body strength she pulled her scythe forward, her thumb switching off the flames as she swung it down!

As the dust settled… Ruby found herself standing atop Mercury, one boot pressed firmly into his chest, her other braced against the floor and looming just above his face was the deadly, nightmarish blade of Inferno Crescent.

 _I- I did it…_ She was breath heavily and she could barely hear her own thoughts over the blood rushing through her ears, but her eyes didn't lie. Mercury stared up at the razor sharp weapon that hovered only inches from his face and then his body went limp, his eyes shut and he… _He's smiling?_

"You got me." He shrugged his shoulders and put his hands up in surrender, but all the while, he kept smiling with a mix of pride and bewilderment. In a daze, Ruby stepped off of him and lowered her scythe's blade to the floor as she stared dumbfounded at him.

She turned around and everyone in the stands. Emerald was literally gaping, stunned silent by the outcome of the fight, or perhaps the fight itself. Cinder was… harder to read, but she looked almost excited? Then there was Neo who was silently jumping up and down while beaming at Ruby. _I... won?_

"I won!" She turned back to Mercury with a wide jubilant smile!

"Yeah, I noticed." Mercury rolled his eyes, still laying on the floor.

"Oh, sorry!" Ruby blurted out, feeling completely flustered as she bent over and extended her hand out to him. Mercury looked at her hand for a moment before shaking his head and smiling contently. Reaching up he put his hand in hers and as she pulled him up, he was surprised at the lack of bitterness in his heart after suffering a loss, something that would have normally at least irked him when the only goal was to win, but he just felt… content.

For a long moment they smiled at each other, Ruby still beaming over her victory and also very much laughing inside over the look on Emerald's face when she won. Though as the rush of battle wore off, Ruby found herself feeling pretty exhausted and she could practically hear her bed calling her for a midday nap.

A sudden and unexpected clapping echoed through the room, snapping both the exhausted teammates to attention, all eyes in the room were brought to a secluded corner in which stood a familiar girl with long blonde hair. Yang smiled tepidly and softly at her, her clapping ceased as soon as Ruby's eyes met hers.

"Yang?" Ruby asked in confusion. "How long have you been standing there?"

"For most of the fight, gotta say Sis…" Any trace of her smile faded away as she caught herself, her eyes dulled with sadness and her gaze fell to the floor as she continued. "I mean, you're getting really strong Ruby. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks! I kinda just got lucky though I mean- ouch!" Ruby yelped as she was nearly shoved off balance from behind.

"You didn't get lucky, you outsmarted me. You don't need to be humble. You kicked my ass, own up to it or I'll start to feel bad for losing to you." Mercury put his hands behind his head and despite his stern tone, when Ruby turned to face him, he still wore a small but genuine smile.

"Heh-heh, sorry!" Ruby blushed as she smiled bashfully.

"Ruby, could I talk to you." The gravity of Yang's tone sent a pang of worry through Ruby's heart.

"Y-yeah, what's up?" She turned back to her newest friend nervously.

"Actually, I kinda wanted to talk to you alone… it won't take too long, I promise." Sadness and trepidation practically dripped from her voice and that did nothing for Ruby but magnify her fears.

"I-I um…" She turned back around to Mercury with questioning, fretful look in her eyes, but after only a moment of contemplation all she got from him was an indifferent shrug. With minor irritation at him she turned to the rest of her team. Cinder looked neutral but Emerald and Neo both wore worried and apprehensive expressions.

"I- I guess that would be fine." Ruby said hesitantly as she turned back to Yang then she turned back once more to Mercury. "I'll catch up with you guys back at the dorm alright?"

"Whatever, just don't take too long. After the asskicking you just gave me, I'm too tired to stay up waiting around for you forever." He shrugged again as he put his hands back into his pockets and walked over to the rest of their team. A small smiled graced Ruby's lips before she made her way to Yang.

"So, what's up?" She said a little more cheerfully as she made it up the last step and came to a stop beside the blonde.

"Like I said, this isn't the place, but there's someone who wants to talk to you. I promise I won't let anything get out of hand but as- as a friend, please just do this for me." Yang's lilac eyes glistened as she implored her little sister, feeling the hesitation and fear in Ruby's voice body language.

"Who is it?" Ruby's voice seemed to drop one-hundred degrees and her silver eyes grew cold as ice. Yang could feel the tension between them spiking, and she knew that she might lose Ruby again at any moment. Yang knew there was only one thing she could do, so she took a steady, deep breath and steeled herself as she met Ruby's gaze.

"His name is Taiyang and he's my father… our father."


	31. Closure: Part 2

There they were… Ruby found herself sitting at the same familiar picnic table she had spent the day with Yang and the night with Mercury only yesterday. Now, once again she found herself sitting across from her friend and sister, but this time, a strange, tall man with blue eyes and short blonde hair sat beside Yang, just… staring at her, honestly, his gaze was making Ruby feel uncomfortable.

"So…" Yang finally but awkwardly broke the silence, her eyes nervously flitting between their father and her little sister.

"Yeah… so…" There Ruby went, only magnifying the awkwardness as she fidgeted, trying her best to put on an amiable smile despite the tension she felt in her chest.

"Is it true?" Taiyang finally spoke, his dejected and tired eyes fixed on Ruby's as he frowned.

"I guess you're asking if I really lost my memory? Um, yeah, after my first fight with Roman I apparently got hit in the head somehow and that made me forget everything about my past before waking up as his hostage." Ruby gave a bashful, dopey grin as she gently hit the top of her head with her palm for emphasis.

"Oh sweetheart…" Ruby shrunk back both at the unwanted term of endearment and the deep sympathy, love and hurt in his voice, all of which made her feel very uneasy.

"Dad…" Yang's soft, wispy voice carried on the light breeze as her hand came gently to rest on the shoulder of the man beside her. "I- I don't think Ruby's comfortable. Maybe… tone it down."

"I-" He looked to his oldest daughter with protest on his lips but as soon as he saw the desolate look in her lilac eyes he knew that she was doing what she thought was best to protect her little sister… even if it was from him.

"I'm sorry Ruby." He gave a broken sigh, dipping his head as he folded his hands in front of him atop the table.

"N- no… it's okay. I guess you kinda have all this history with me from before so I understand." Ruby regained her composure as she spoke, her uncomfortable tone softening with empathy and understanding as she met the man's eyes.

Another span of silence, no one was quite sure what to say or do as heavy emotions saturated the air around them. Tai looked… heartbroken, that was the only way to describe it, but still, there was just something in his eyes that Ruby could only call relief. Yang just looked hurt, her gaze shifting from Ruby to her dad, it seemed like she was desperate to protect them both, especially from each other. Somehow, that idea made Ruby… happy.

"So," Ruby's face brightened with a warm smile that seemed to lift the nearly suffocating pressure that was steadily growing around the three of them, cutting the tension before it snapped. "Yang said you were my dad?"

Just that one questions sent the mood at the table plummeting as Yang visibly tenses her entire body, her eyes going wide as she slowly turned her head to face Tai. If he looked broken before… there was just nothing left after that. His expression was completely blank and desolate as his dull eyes just sort of look to Ruby, but somehow they seemed fixed on something very distant. Yang's heart hurt so much for him and she felt so, so helpless.

"That's right… I'm your dad. I- I raised from when you were born." Tai's voice was shaking and choked by the tears he was barely forcing back. "All this time since you've been missing, I've never stopped looking for you. I did everything I could to find you… I had almost lost hope... and now… here you are."

"H-here I am." Ruby smiled, stuttered awkwardly while shifting in her seat and fiddling with her cape in her lap.

"Come home." His voice was dead cold as he stared at his youngest daughter.

"W-what?" She fell still, looking back up at man that was supposedly her father. Her silver eyes shifted from disbelief to unbridled fear and without realizing it… she turned to Yang, pleading with her for help with a desperate and frightened expression.

"I said come home." He repeated again in the same frigid tone. "You're only fifteen years old. Have you even been to a doctor!? What if they could fix you? You don't belong here, you're coming back to Patch!"

Terror had begun to strangle Ruby's heart, her hand slowly falling to her side, trembling as she reached for her Scroll in her shorts pocket. She could feel her rapid and pounding pulse through her entire body. This… this is what she had been most afraid of, even since she woke up as Roman's hostage. The idea of someone forcing her back to her past against her, it filled her with such unimaginable dread she could barely contain herself. _I- I have to call Mercury, and Neo and Emerald… but if do, it might put our mission in danger._

"Dad!" A loud bark from Yang and the hard slamming of her fist into the table silenced their dad. The air around them suddenly had a very different feel… a dangerous feel as she turned her head to meet his confused gaze, her once lilac eyes burt deep red as tears pooled in their corners.

"Y- Yang, I was just-"

"You promised me you wouldn't do this!" Her aura flared with light and heat like rage incarnate as she stood up over their father huffing from anger as tears streamed down her face. _I- I can't lose her, this is all that I have. If she runs away again, if I she leaves again I- I don't think she'll ever come back to me._

Ruby watched as Yang glared the man beside her down, his jaw hung open and his eyes wide with stunned awe as he stared up at his daughter. In his deep blue eyes she could pain and betrayal until finally the shock wore off, sadness took over every aspect of his visage.

"I…" For a moment, he sounded as though he would try once more to argue, but then his words died into a long, heavy sigh before he ran his hands over his face and stood up. "I- I think I need a minute."

They could both see his body shaking, but neither sister knew if it was pain or anger that was making him tremble as she slowly got up from the picnic table before stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked away. Yang's eyes cooled to a soft purple as her Semblance died down. Watching her dad walk away, she felt her heart pulled in two directions and her guilt weighed twice as heavily on her mind. Still… she knew where she truly needed to be.

"Ruby… I'm sorry." She turned, half expecting to only seen a cloud of rose petals hanging in the air where her sister used to be… but she was still there, with a small, grateful smile warming her face.

"Thank you… for standing up for me." Ruby's smile grew softer as her gaze fell into her lap, her cape bunched up in her fists as a comfortable feeling welled up in her chest. _Yang… I really didn't expect that. I thought you'd come to try and take me away but you- you really care about me, not like in a possessive way but in a way that cares about what's just best for me. You really don't want to lose me, even if it's as a friend, and you don't want to hurt me to try and make us family. So… thanks._

"No problems, it's what…" Her happy, energetic voice suddenly fell apart as she caught herself. Looking down to the table she shook her head lightly, a weak, halfhearted laugh followed her breath before she looked back up. "It's what friends are for."

An uneasy silence fell between them, the only sound filling the gap was the gentle breeze that flowed around the courtyard. Yang felt conflicting emotions fighting in her heart. She was happy to be reunited with her sister but it was still painful. They weren't sisters anymore, at least, not to Ruby, instead, they were new friends. Torchwick meant more to her little sister than she did. Yang still didn't know how exactly she felt about that.

"Um, I should go check on Dad." Yang blurted out awkwardly as she stood. "I think he needs someone to talk to, someone who understands what he's going through."

"Yeah, go ahead." Ruby nodded, her smile fading as a pang of guilt spiked through her. "Can you maybe tell him something for me?"

"Sure, I guess." She looked to her sister wearily. "What is it?"

"Tell him… tell him that I'm sorry and tell him that I do belong here and my home is with my team." Her silver eyes burned with conviction as she forced her gaze to meet her sister's.

"No." Yang said simply, breaking Ruby's determination as a look of surprise and confusion took over her face.

"That's something he'll need to hear from you Ruby, not passed along through me." She turned her head, she could see her father in the distance still, leaning against a building's wall with his arms folded in front of his chest. Reassured that he was still near and hadn't called the police or something to try to force Ruby to come back, she brought her attention back to her little sister.

"Promise me you'll still be here when we get back." Her expression was stern but her tone was pleading as fear welled in her heart. "Promise me you won't run away. I won't let him do anything to you that you don't want but please, just do this for me… as a friend."

"I…" Ruby felt the hesitation, the trepidation and discomfort she felt when she was back into emotional confrontations with people, especially when she felt threatened by them and she couldn't fight her way out. Even so, as she stared into her friend's eyes, she felt a spark of strength. Her fear ebbed and a fragile, uneasy smile took its place in her expression. "I'll be here, I promise."

"Thanks!" Yang's voice became its casual, normal self as she grinned at her sister. "I won't be long!"

"Alright, I guess I'll see you soon then." Ruby watched as her friend gave a nod before turning and walking towards her father.

'This sucks.' She sighed, collapsing her upper body onto the table. _I guess… I mean, I knew this would happen. I'm fighting in the most watched event in the world so I knew some people from my past would come forward. I knew I'd have to deal with Yang but manipulating so many people, I'm not good at this! I wish Emerald could do this for me!_

Ruby let out a tired and frustrated huff as she folded her arms under her head. Not too far in the distance Yang talked with her dad, though she couldn't hear what they were saying, she could practically feel the negative emotions from where she was. _Still… Yang stood up up for me. She- she protected me. I know she wants things to go back to the way they were before I lost my memory, but she's not forcing it on me. She even protected me from her own dad._

That last though returned a warm smile to her face. _I know why I'm doing all of this, I know what Cinder's plan is. I'm here to mess with Yang's head and her Team's, but now… I think I'm starting to really consider her a friend. This- this should be bad, this should make me scared but I'm not. I've hurt a lot of people for Roman and I'll do whatever it takes to save him, even if that means I have to hurt the people I care about. Still, for Yang, I'll try to protect her as much as I can._

"We're back. It's time for you to tell Dad what you told me." Yang's voice ripped Ruby from her own thoughts as her head shot up. Yang looked… tired and sad, but the man beside her looked a lot more together. Ruby however was suddenly feeling a lot more scared and anxious.

She looked up to Yang, her big silver eyes glistening, begging for support. What was she supposed to say? What was the right thing to do? What would happen if no answer was good enough? Ruby didn't have any of these answers and it was making her heart pound frantically in her chest. Just as she began to feel overwhelmed by the turbulent feelings in her chest the lavender eyes she gazed into softened and a tender, reassuring smile lit up her friend's face and somehow… that made Ruby feel just a little more at ease.

"Okay." Ruby took a deep, steadying breath as she faced the man who was apparently their father. "I'm not going with you. I don't know who you are but I know who I am. I'm going to keep following the path that's right for me, making up for the mistakes I've made along the way and decide for myself where I belong."

"I'm not your daughter… I'm me." Strength and confidence ignited within her, burning through her eyes as she stared down the man standing over her.

Long, tense moments passed, the only movement among them were Yang's eyes frantically flitting between the younger girl and her father. Ruby's face was stark with serious conviction while her dad stared back, his expression nearly neutral except for a briefest of moments… Yang didn't see it, but Ruby couldn't miss it, for merely an instant there was unmistakable pride in his eyes.

"I guess… that's it then." Tai's face softened with a deep, nearly suffocating sadness, his eyes glistening with tears as they pooled on their surface.

"Yang told me everything she knew, even what happened in Mountain Glenn." Ruby's eyes widened with fear and shock but the man simply waved his hand dismissively. "You're strong, you- you've changed so much. I knew someday you were going to leave to become a Huntress… I thought I'd have more time with my little girl but… but you've been through so much haven't you?"

"Y-yeah…" Empathy and sorrow exuded from her voice and visage, her strength giving way to compassion as she listened to him speak.

"Haven… it's a nice school. You already have a strong team you can count on." His voice was trembling as he forced himself not to give in to the tears that were forcing their way through his eyes. "You might not know me right now Ruby but… I love you, you'll always be my little girl and no matter what you will always be welcome to come home."

"Dad…" Yang knew that what he was saying would make her sister uncomfortable again, but she knew that getting that out was the only way he would be able to make peace with this so she couldn't be mad… no matter what her sister felt.

"Thank you." Ruby's voice was barely a whisper but the anger or even discomfort she expected to see in her sister wasn't there, just a soft, thankful smile as she stared down at her lap. "Thank you for understanding. You're a good man and I was lucky to have you as a father… I hope I told you that often enough."

That was it, that broke him. Taiyang lost his internal struggle against his own grief as tears streamed down his face. Ruby's words echoed inside him, each time feeling like he'd lost her again and again. His jaw clenched but there was nothing he could do to stem the flow of drops that poured from his eyes. Yang too was helpless against the pain that filled her heart, her body shook and her eyes squeezed shut as she felt wet trails down her cheeks cool with the soft breeze.

 **Fwoosh!**

A blur of red and black… a cloud of rose petals and then… warmth and pressure around her. Through her bleary, clouded eyes, that was Yang could say for sure had happened in that moment.

"R-Ruby…" Yang's voice was little more than a choked whisper as she finally understood what was happening. She felt a small arm wrapped around her and a cheek pressed against her own as black, red tipped hair tickled her face. Across from her, her father's eyes were wide open as he stared down at the small girl between them who held both in a warm, tight embrace.

"Thank you… thank you…" Ruby's voice trembled. Tai and Yang stood there for a long moment in stunned silence before they finally smiled and wrapped their arms around each other in and the girl between them.

The three hugged each other. They all knew it would be the last time they would feel like a family again, but Ruby had no doubt of the love they felt for her and she was happy to thank them by giving them the closure they needed… and she didn't mind the warmth either.


	32. Closure: Part 3

"That was an awesome match!" Thistle squealed excitedly, her face hurt from laughter as they left the stadium.

"It was alright I suppose." Weiss shrugged, still she couldn't help but smile at her girlfriend's amusement. "Still, I guess it was pretty funny how Neptune was afraid of the water."

"It was hilarious!" Thistle burst out laughing for the tenth time. "I'm not sure what was funnier, Neptune being afraid to get wet or Jaune yelling at the other team in the middle of the battle! I mean, at least it was awesome how Neptune stole the win."

"Yeah but JNPR won their match too." Weiss sped her pace up slightly to keep up with an excited and energized Thistle.

"Nora pretty much won that for them, especially at the end! Man that girl is a powerhouse! I want to spar with her so bad now!" Thistle was practically beaming at the mere thought of fighting the heavy hitter from team JNPR.

"That would certainly be a… loud match." Weiss could almost feel her ears hurting as she imagined it.

"I know isn't that great!" The redhead laughed at the look of mock dread on her leader's face. "Who do you think would win?"

"What?" Weiss looked up looking completely caught off guard by the question. "I guess… I mean, I think you would win, but I haven't seen enough of Nora fighting to make an accurate judgement. She's more than capable of fighting at long range and close up, but you take mid range so it could go either way."

"Hmm, that's probably true. I'm not sure I could blow away her hammer at close range." She hummed as she put her chin between her thumb and index finger. "Well, I'll find out when we fight. It'll probably be her and Pyrrha in the doubles and Pyrrha solo in the finals."

"Speaking of which, who do you think we should send to the doubles for our team." Weiss stopped in the middle of the walkway and turned to her girlfriend with a fretful, contemplating look.

"I guess we do have to figure that out huh?" Thistle stopped and walked back to her partner, the sparse coming and going spectators made their way around the two of them. "This would be a lot easier of a discussion to have with the rest of our team. Blake went off to congratulate Sun and his team."

"And Yang just said she had something to attend to. It's not like her to be so cryptic." Weiss fretted, furrowing her brow.

"You think it has to do with Ruby?" One could almost hear the mood between them drop at the mention of their teammate's little sister. At a long moment of relative silence, Weiss loosed a long, exhausted sigh.

"Most likely." She admitted before continuing to walk back to their dorms.

"Yang's been different since Ruby started here. What do you make of that, her being at Beacon I mean." Thistle curiously glanced to her partner beside her.

"I'm not really sure what to think. Ruby is Yang's sister so I'd rather let her handle that who situation, but it's not that simple, and I don't really believe that girl's story." Weiss folded her arms in front of her chest. "What about you?"

"I don't really know what to think either." She entwined her hands behind her head as she walked along side Weiss. "Nothing has really happened since Torchwick went to jail. You'd think if Ruby was lying she'd be angry at us, not trying to make friends. I guess I trust Yang enough to let her handle this."

"That's really all we can do for right now…" The leader's arms fell to her side and her pace slowed as worry and anxiety filled her heart. _I just don't know if we can trust Ruby or even her new team. Yang trusts her, even spending time with her over her team, Blake trusts Yang and doesn't seem all that worried and even Thistle is_ _laid-back_ _about it but I'm the leader! This team counts on me, I need to protect my teammates from potential threats and right now that includes Ruby. I- I just don't know how I can do that…_

"Hey," Before Weiss could react to her partner's unusually soft voice she felt two arms wrap around her just below her folded arms. Warm hands held hers and she was gently pulled back, coming to rest against Thistle as she held her in a comfortable embrace. Well, Thistle was comfortable, Weiss's face glowed with a deep blush and her brain pretty much shut down.

"You're stressed out, a lot is going on, you need a distraction." Weiss could feel Thistle's breath at her neck. "There's not another match for a bit, why don't we go into Vale for a date? Maybe get dinner or something?"

"T-Thistle…" Was all she could manage to get out. With a snort of laughter Thistle pulled herself away from her girlfriend and came to her side, playfully bumping her shoulder into Weiss'.

"It was just an idea!" Thistle's snorts devolved into uncontrollable giggles as she looked at her partner's priceless expression. Her face was the reddest she'd ever seen and she wore a look of shock, embarrassment and irritation and she tried to get her composure back.

"You're impossible do you know that?" Weiss sighed as she glared at the grinning redhead beside her. Still, she couldn't deny that she wished Thistle hadn't let her go quite so soon, of course that didn't mean she had to tell her that!

"I know." Thistle said dismissively with a shrug of her shoulders, her smirk not once leaving her face.

"So, Princess, about that date?" She gave her girlfriend a questioning look as she nudged her with her side with her elbow. "I promise I won't embarrass you if that helps."

"Oh, you mean like you did just then?" Weiss grinned back as she gave Thistle a light shove with her hand.

"Oh come on, you liked that and you know it." She gave her leader a sly smile, her large lavender eyes looked playfully into her cool blues and just like Thistle expected… she folded.

"Okay… I didn't hate it." She gave a resigned sigh. "And a quiet evening out sounds lovely. We should tell Blake and Yang before we go though."

"I wonder if they'd even notice if we didn't." Thistle growled indignantly. Everyone had been stressed but Yang had been neglecting spending time with her team in favor of the person that tried to kill all of them. She understood why, but still she didn't like it.

"Of course they would, we're still a team and that means we need to stay in touch." Weiss pulled out her scroll and started looking through her contacts.

"Oh yeah, then do we know where Yang is right now?" Thistle's bitter tone wasn't lost on Weiss, and she empathized… but as a sister, she also empathized with Yang's plight. Of course, as leader, she had to put both aside for the good of the team.

"Well, I'm about to call her and find out. She's been out for a while so she's likely done with whatever it is she was doing. She may very well already be back at the dorm." Her eyes scanned through her contact list before stopping on the name she was looking for and hitting the call button.

The phone rang…

and rang…

and rang…

Weiss and thistle looked to each other and then back to the phone, after a few more rings, it went to the answering machine and Weiss promptly hung up. Thistle expected as much, she was either still with Ruby or her latest encounter with her amnesiac sister didn't go well and she was sulking.

"Well, I guess I'll just text Blake and have her relay it back to Yang when she returns." Weiss frowned as she opened up another name in her contacts and began texting.

"Well she should be fine, but when it comes to her sister Yang turns into a pretty different person. I don't think she's thinking straight trusting her after all she's done to us." Thistle huffed, feeling anger and frustration smoldering in her chest.

"We just have to trust her. Yang's a strong and capable fighter and while it's true she has a habit of losing her senses when Ruby is involved, I still think we should give her the benefit of the doubt." She closed her scroll and smiled at her girlfriend.

"Now you look like you're the one who's stressing herself out." With a soft giggle Weiss took Thistle's hand in her own, entwining their fingers together they both felt their anxiety melt away.

"Didn't think I'd get that turned on me so quickly." Thistle smiled bashfully, her cheeks tinting light red as she squeezed Weiss' cool hand just a little bit tighter.

A sudden sound from above stole their attention as a very distinctive airship soared overhead. Weiss's eyes grew wide at the sight of the banners that flowed from its wing tips and suddenly Thistle fight her hand being squeezed even tighter as her girlfriend turned to her beaming with excitement and happiness.

"She's here!" Without another word Thistle suddenly found herself being pulled along to the airfield by her hand as Weiss ran towards where it was landing.

"Who's here?!" Thistle called out as they weaved through the throngs of people. Despite her confusion, she couldn't help but feel happy at her partner's enthusiasm.

"My sister!"

As they ran past the courtyard to the landing area of Beacon Weiss' excitement only grew but Thistle couldn't help but feel nervous. It wasn't long before they had sprinted the distance between where they had started and the airfield. Ironwood's fleet loomed above them, it still made Thistle feel uneasy but she pushed the feeling aside has the slowed to a stop just as the airship they were looking for touched down on the ground.

The hatch opened on the side of the ship with a pneumatic sound, Atlesian soldiers and Knights filed out and took up coordinated defensive positions on both sides of the path leading toward Beacon's main building.

Then a woman stepped out. She had familiar snow white hair and soft light blue eyes, she walked with the impeccable posture of a military trained soldier and wore a uniform to confirm that.

"Winter It's so good to see you I can't believe you're here!" Weiss called out jubilantly pulling Thistle along with her as she ran to greet her sister. Suddenly her overjoyed expression was forced to cool as she caught herself. "Oh! I mean... your presence honors us."

Her sister looked down at her with inscrutable coldness, then to Thistle. However, her stoic visage fell apart for just a moment as she looked immediately between the two… where their hands were intertwined.

It took Weiss all of about five seconds for everything to click and a horrified look widened her eyes. Thistle very suddenly found her hand empty as Weiss jerk hers away and took a very quick step away from her as she smiled tepidly at her sister.

"I- I um… so, what are you doing here?!" Weiss blurted out, laughing awkwardly as she stepped forward. It was obvious to a certain short redhead that she was trying to keep her sister's attention off of her.

"That's classified." Winter said coldly, her eyes fixed on the small girl behind her sister.

"Well how long will you be staying?" Weiss positioned herself directly between her girlfriend and her sister.

"That's classified." She repeated in the same tone as she took a step to the side, bringing Thistle back into her line of sight.

"Did you see our match!?" Weiss blurted out desperately as she did a quick sidestep between the two again.

"Yes, unfortunately." That seemed to get her attention. "I wished I did not have to witness my own sister perform so poorly in combat, but I did."

"What?" Weiss' jaw opened in shock. "But we won!"

"Only a novice would call that a victory." Winter raised her head up to look down at her sister admonishingly. "I counted two errors that could have easily been avoided."

"Well, how have you been?" Winter's tone and expression softened and as a warm, caring smile formed from her lips.

"Oh I've been wonderful!" Weiss' eyes lit up. "I'm doing exceptionally in my academics! I'm one of the top ranking students in our combat classes and my studies are going-"

 **Smack!**

Weiss was immediately silenced as Winter's open palm slapped the side of her head.

"I didn't ask about your studies or rank, I asked how you were doing. Are you eating properly, have you taken up any new hobbies…" She trailed off as she looked to the girl behind Weiss with red hair braided on one side and soft purple eyes. "Have you made any new friends?"

"Oh, um, well… This is Thistle… she's my um…" Weiss stepped back from between the two of them, looking nervously between her sister and her teammate. "She's my…"

"Your what? Quit that stuttering!" Winter glared down at Weiss.

"She's my teammate!" Weiss blurted out desperately. "She- she's my teammate…"

"Weiss…" Thistle's whisper was so soft Weiss could barely hear it… she wished she hadn't.

"I see." Winter's tone was dubious at best as she looked between her younger sister and her teammate. "Well, why don't you show me to your quarters?"

"Yes! Of course! I'd be happy to!" Weiss smiled sheepishly.

"And why don't you join us?" Winter turned to Thistle with a amiable smile… but Thistle shook her head softly, her eyes dull with pain.

"Thank you but I- I think I'm just gonna go." Her voice trembled with sadness even as she smiled back.

"Thistle wait I didn't mean-!" Weiss turned around, but it was too late… Thistle ran away, back to the courtyard and Weiss had never felt more guilty in her life.

"It seems we have something we need to talk about." Winter said flatly as she walked past Weiss, her little sister's gaze still fixed on Thistle's back.

As the smaller girl fell out of sight, Weiss' head fell in shame, her arms resting weakly at her sides. She barely heard what her sister had said over the sound of her screaming at herself in her mind.

 _Thistle… I'm so sorry._

* * *

Thistle had stopped running once she hit the courtyard, she just didn't have the strength to keep going. Now she ambled alone, the sky glowing orange as she walked around the perimeter of the quiet, grassy field in the middle of Beacon.

Rage and pain swirled around in her heart like a massive storm but above everything… she just felt weak. _Weiss… she's ashamed of me. She didn't even want her sister to look at me! The way she just let go of me and put distance between us the moment Winter saw us holding hands, then she called me her teammate. It was not just a slip of the tongue, she debated telling her but decided to just lie about what we are! It's been months since we've been dating, you'd think that'd mean something, enough to at least tell her sister that we're together!_

"Oomf!" Thistle grunted as she walked face first into someone, nearly toppling them both over. "I'm sorry! I wasn't… watching… where... it- it's you!"

"Wha-?! Thistle?!" Ruby recoiled jumping back as the smaller girl glared at her with eyes burning with shock and hostility.

"Ruby!" Thistle growled stepping back and taking a defensive pose. The two girls glared at each other for a long moment, ready for the first strike to be made but then… Ruby's glare softened.

"You look sad." She observed, looking into her rival's eyes. There was no mistaking the redness in them, her greatest adversary had been crying.

"Shut up!" Thistle barked, she felt her rage boiling over to new heights and the air around her began to hiss and tremble as her Semblance flared… but still, Ruby only looked at her with sympathy, her defensive stance fell apart as she let her arms fall to her side.

"Want to talk about it?" Ruby frowned as she took an unwavering step closer.

"Right," Thistle scoffed, her semblance calming but her gaze still burning into Ruby as she stepped back. "Why don't we just talk about our feelings over a cup of tea?"

"Ooh that sounds nice!" Ruby's eyes sparkled and a smile formed from her lips.

"No it doesn't!" Thistle shouted, stomping her foot on the ground.

"Oh…" She whimpered dejectedly, her gaze falling to the concrete floor as she shrunk back. "Why not, it sounds nice?"

"Gee I don't know, maybe it has something with you trying to kill me three times!" She hissed.

"Three times? That seems high." Ruby cocked her head to the side and her eyes drifted upwards. "Wait, you're counting that night with the robot?! Come on, I just knocked you down to save Roman!"

"Whatever the point is no! No-no-no! I am not going to talk about my relationship issues with a murderous amnesiac sociopath!" She was huffing for breath from her tirade but the caped girl before her seemed completely nonplussed, instead she looked… shy and nervous?

"Would it help if I talked to you about my relationship problems?" Ruby posed nervously as she shrunk back a little more.

"What?" Well that completely broke Thistle's anger. She raised her eyebrow and cocked her head to the side looking dubiously at the girl. "You have relationship problems?"

"Well yeah, I mean, sort of? I'm not really sure, but I think I do and I just don't have anyone I can talk to about this kind of thing." Ruby's heart was racing from anxiety and nervousness as she looked hopefully up at a girl she had indeed tried to kill, though only twice by her metric.

"Wha, but… you! I- you're just…" After some frantic, incoherent babbling, Thistle let out a long, exasperated sigh as she roughly rubbed her hands up and down her face. "Why do you even care?"

"Like I said, I don't have anyone I can talk to and you're Yang's teammate and honestly… I care about her. If you're distracted by this in a fight Yang could get hurt, heck, any of your team could get hurt, including you, so why don't you just stop being stubborn and talk to me, I swear I won't try to kill you again." She smiled reassuringly, inching closer to her rival as she looked to her with big, silver puppy-dog eyes.

"Uhg!" Thistle groaned, throwing her head back in frustration. "I can't believe I'm doing this…"

"Yay!" Ruby squealed in happiness. "Come on, let's go sit down at my table!"

"You're table?" Thistle raised her eyebrows at her once again.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not like my name is on it or anything but I've had a lot of really good and even some really sad memories there. Earlier today I sat there with Yang just like I did yesterday, there was a man with us, apparently he was my father, he was a nice guy. I also sat there last night and stared up at the stars with… a teammate." Her head lowered as she looked shyly at the ground, but her soft, nostalgic smile didn't falter. "It's an important place for me, if we're going to be getting personal with each other, we should have that talk there I think."

"I think I'm already regretting this." Thistle deadpanned as her shoulders fell and her head drooped.

"Aw it won't be that bad, come on!" Ruby's bubbly attitude only somehow made Thistle feel more exhausted as she follower her to "her bench".

 _That is not the same girl I fought on the docks or in Mountain Glenn on the train. Is this the girl with Yang remembers as her sister? Is this how she was before she lost her memory? She's… so happy, it's almost infections. I remember her best as a ruthless killer. Who are you really then Ruby? A caring and bubbly girl who wants the people she cares about to be happy, or a cold and deadly fighter who will kill at the command of a master criminal?_ She didn't have the answer and somehow, she felt it wasn't as simple as that. She remembered the look at the umbrella wielding woman gave her when she rushed to Ruby's defense… _That was love, it was protectiveness. Maybe… maybe she just did what she did because she loved them too._

"Alright, have a seat!" Ruby said in a singsong voice patting the top of the wooden table, beckoning her rival to take the seat across from her.

"Yeah I'm coming." She sighed as she sat down.

A long silence stretched between them, Ruby awkwardly shifted in her seat and Thistle's eyes fell anywhere but on the girl in front of her. All in all, it was a beautiful autumn sunset, the sun dipping below the horizon behind Ruby painted the sky beautiful shades of orange and pink while the encroaching twilight in the sky behind Thistle faded from light blue to deep indigo. In the middle, where night met day, it seemed to sheer the sky in half right between the two girls. The heat of the day backed Ruby and the cool of the night weighed in favor of Thistle. She couldn't tell if the girl in front of her had noticed but Thistle felt it was almost poetically indicative of each other in a weird way.

"So… you have relationship problems?" Thistle broke the peaceful quiet than spanned between them.

"Y-yeah… I mean, like I said, I think so anyway." Ruby shifted nervously. "I- I guess I'll go first?"

"Might as well," She shrugged. "I'll tell you mine after, though don't expect me to be much help, I'm apparently not good with relationships. This is the first one I've been in and… it's not going great at the moment."

"Alright… but promise you won't laugh!?" Ruby's wide, silver eyes looked pleadingly at her and Thistle could see the fear and trepidation in her rival's expression.

"Fine, I promise, just get on with it okay?" She put her arms behind her head and leaned back slightly, supporting her weight with her knees pressing into the bottom of the table.

"Okay… well, I kinda think I maybe… have a crush on someone… a teammate of mine actually… but I'm not completely sure. As far as I know, I've never really had feelings for anyone so it's not like I have anything to compare it to. I just… I like being around this person and I don't know, I feel happy when they're around and when I think of them." A blush tinted Ruby's cheeks as she looked shyly down at her hands with a soft smile. "S-so… do you think I have a crush or whatever?"

"With the way you're acting just talking about them? Yeah, you've got it bad for them." Thistle said it so nonchalantly it almost made Ruby want to laugh with how simple it sounded coming from her.

"I- I see…" Her smile grew and her blush deepened. Finally, after a few long moments, she looked up to the girl across from her. "Thank you Thistle… I'm glad I finally had someone to talk about this with. Now you get why I couldn't exactly tell anyone on my team, and I didn't want to tell Yang so I'm really glad I bumped into you."

"So, you gonna tell this person how you feel?" Her question made Ruby flinch, surprise and dread darkening her expression even as she continued to smile awkwardly.

"Look, if you feel like this, keeping it to yourself like this probably isn't good for you. Trust me, I had it bad just like you for Weiss. I fell for her shortly after you kicked my ass at the docks and it was all downhill from there. Every time I was with her I just got that feeling and I wanted to tell her, it was even worse when we were alone. Finally at the dance I asked her out and it went… not as well as I'd hoped." Thistle closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. Even thinking about the earlier part of that night made her heart ache. "I asked her out and she just ran from me. It- it really broke my heart, I'd never felt so low in my life. Still, after getting some encouragement, I confronted her one more time and she said yes… we've been together ever since."

"You and… Weiss?" Ruby tilted her head and suddenly Thistle felt her heart skip a beat. _Crap! I let her name slip!_

"I- I um… look, that's not important! What's important is if you feel that way, it's only going to drive you crazy till you get it off your chest by telling that person!" She huffed with finality.

"I- I see…" Ruby's head dipped again her eyes dulled with sorrow. "But what if I tell them… and they don't like me back? I mean, it could hurt our team… it could hurt me."

"Ruby," Thistle's voice was warm with compassion as she leaned forward. The lost little girl in front of her with the aching, love struck heart made her completely forget the cold, murderous warrior she'd faced in battle. "It's going to hurt you if you don't tell them. Just find the best time, not the right time because there is never a right time, and… let them know how you feel, honestly and genuinely."

"I- I'm scared though…" Ruby admitted softly, her eyes shutting tight and her jaw clenching.

"Good," Thistle grinned, the unexpected response forcing Ruby to look at her. "If you're scared that means it's really important to you. If they say yes, then you know they really do mean something to you, and that's special, especially if it's going to be your first real relationship."

"Thistle," Ruby smiled softly, her glistened like mirrors and her voice quivered as she sniffled. "Thank you, you're really good at this."

"N-no problem…" Thistle looked away bashfully. Their whole situation felt totally surreal to her, but still, that smile of hers was just so weirdly disarming. "Though, if I was any good at this, Weiss wouldn't feel ashamed of me."

"What? Why would Weiss be ashamed of you? Why would you think that?" Ruby furrowed her brown in concern for her… friend?

"I don't think it, I know it. Weiss is the heiress to one of the biggest corporations on Remnant, she's a public figure and her family is rich and powerful… of course she'd be ashamed to admit she was with me! I don't know how her family would feel about her being with a girl but either way I doubt they'd be thrilled she's dating someone like me, I'm not exactly high class." Thistle collapsed onto the table, her arms catching her falling head as she practically deflated with dejection.

"Thistle, don't say that." Ruby frowned. "I remember what happened on the train when I… when I knocked Weiss out. You saw what I did and I saw it in your eyes, I didn't understand it then, but I do now. You care for her a lot, she's special to you and you wanted to protect her. I don't think Weiss cares about class, not that much. The way you fought for her against me, that's a noble thing to do if you ask me."

"Ruby…" Thistle stared at her in awe. She didn't expect that kind of response at all but maybe that's why she felt like Ruby's response felt as though it hit her like a truck.

"Maybe you should follow your own advice," Ruby smiled softly.

"Why don't you tell her that she made you feel this way and it hurt you? Tell her that you don't want to feel like a dirty secret. From the way you light up when you talk about her, I think someone that you'd fight so hard for and care so much about would put you first." Thistle was taken aback, as Ruby spoke her smile fell into a stark seriousness. "She may have made a mistake, she may be feeling really bad about it right now and wanting to make it better, but instead you're here… with someone who tried to kill you twice."

"Okay, okay… I'll take the hint," Thistle gave a pitiful, guilty laugh. "Thank you, for talking to me, you're not so bad when we're not fighting to the death. I wish I could have known you before you lost your memory."

"Well, you kinda got to know me now." Ruby grinned sheepishly. "I wouldn't mind being friends with you. Now, you should get going, you need to be somewhere else right now."

"Okay, but one thing first," A devious smirk brightened Thistle's face and her lavender eyes sparkled playfully. "I told you I'm with Weiss so now it's your turn… who do you have a crush on? Is it Emerald? Mercury? Come on, it's only fair!"

"Eh-he… I um, well you see, it's like… Oh look, it's Weiss!" Ruby bolted up and pointed immediately behind Thistle.

"What!?" Thistle's eyes went wide as she turned, nearly falling over as her leg caught on the table's bench… but there was no one there. "Hey!"

 **Fwooosh!**

In a blur, Ruby vanished, leaving nothing behind but a shower of rose petals and a more than annoyed Thistle.

 _Whatever… I should have expected her not to play fair._ She let a long sigh as she disentangled her leg from the bench and stood herself up. A cool night breeze swept through her short red hair and the twilight reflected off of her purple eyes as she looked to where she left Weiss. If nothing else, she knew what she had to do now.

Without another moment of hesitation she began walking towards what she hoped would bring her closure.


	33. Closure: Part 4

Crickets chirped in the early evening. The air was cool but not uncomfortable… what was uncomfortable however was Weiss as she sat the table across from her sister. A roof above them suspended on pillars blocked the sky from view and the warm orange artificial light from illuminated the outdoor eating area from overhead.

Her sister took delicate sips of her steaming hot tea while Weiss held her hands around the cup of coffee she had ordered, letting its warmth flow into her hands. Still, she at least felt thankful that the little cafe on campus was practically empty. As little as she wanted to have this talk with her sister, she wanted even less for it to be a public affair. Her dorm was a no go since both Blake and Yang were both already there and according to Blake's text, Yang had passed out on her bed almost as soon as she got back.

"So, about that girl..." Winter began, putting her cup down on the table as she set her frigid gaze upon her little sister.

"Oh um… which one?" Weiss laughed lamely as she averted her eyes and gave a bashful but very uncomfortable smile.

"The girl with whom you were holding hands." Winter clearly wasn't going to let Weiss play this off and she looked more irritated every moment she didn't get a straight answer.

"Oh, right, yes! That would be Thistle, she's my teammate and partner. She's very strong and reliable if not a little short tempered and-" A heavy fist slamming into the table abruptly cut her off. Winter glared at her sister, her expression telling Weiss that her patience had run out.

"You know what I'm asking! Who is she to you and who are you to her?" Again cutting straight to the core of the issue Weiss would wholly rather avoid, but her Sister kept forcing her into a corner and she knew it was only a matter of time before she couldn't dodge the question anymore.

"L- like I said, she's my friend and my partner…" Weiss' head hung low as stared down into her lap. Her chest felt tight, her face felt hot and her heart was racing, on top of all of that every time Thistle's name was mentioned, a crushing guilt felt as though it would suffocate her.

In her lap Weiss' hands trembled, clutching the fabric of her skirt. _Thistle… I messed up, I really messed up. I- I don't know what to do! I'm afraid… I'm afraid of my family finding out, I'm afraid of hurting you, I'm afraid of… us honestly. I wish I knew what to do._

"Weiss…" Winter's voice became soft and soothing as she watched her little sister spiraling in distress and anguish. "You know you can tell me anything. I can tell that this is weighing heavily on your mind. Just talk to me and I'll listen without judgement."

"I- I can't…" Weiss whispered, her voice strained as she shut her eyes tight, retreating further into her own troubled mind.

"Yes, you can." She reassured softly.

"No I can't!" Weiss bolted up from her seat her hands slamming down onto the table and her cool blue eyes glistening with tears. As she looked at her sister's worried and shocked expression her guilt only grew even more unbearable. With a trembling breath she slowly fell back to her seat. "I'm sorry…"

"Would it make it easier on you if I took a guess then?" Winter's cool and collected visage had returned as she took another sip of her tea. Weiss looked up to her pleadingly and fearfully, but the elder Schnee sister carried on.

"That girl, Thistle, you and she are more than just friends or teammates, is that correct?" At her sister's scarily easy guess Weiss' head shot up, her eyes wide with fear and shock.

"I- I don't know what you mean, she and I… we're simply… we're just… I mean-" Weiss' panicked, incoherent speech fell apart, her heart was hammering away in her chest so hard she feared it may stop. She wanted nothing more than to run away from everything… but her legs wouldn't move.

"I'll make this simple for you; Are you and Thistle romantically involved?" Winter folder her hands in front of her as she leaned forward towards her little sister. Weiss stared back, her face beyond pale as though all her blood had been drained from her body.

"T-that's absurd…" Weiss' words were barely more than a whisper but even saying them made her stomach feel like she'd just been hit by a train, like her own body was rejecting the very words she spoke.

"Weiss, I understand that you may be worried about what father may think, but he's not here right now." Winter frowned as she reached over and put her hand reassuringly over her sister's. "I know you, I know that you're afraid, but it's just you and me and I won't judge you and I will not tell father. I'll ask you once more; Who is Thistle to you?"

"She- she… she is…" Weiss didn't know why it was so hard for her, but the words she knew to be the truth just died at her lips every time. Tears shimmered in her cool blue eyes before they silently rolled down her cheeks. "Winter… I don't know what to do. She's very important to me but… I just can't say it! I- I care deeply for her, I want to tell you just how much she means to me, just how much I know I mean to her. I want to say it… I just- I just can't!"

"I think I have the answer I need." Winter took a deep breath as she pulled her hand back from Weiss', her eyes looking down on her sister with disappointment and sorrow. "I understand why you're afraid, but I don't understand why you're letting your fear control you."

"Winter… I just don't know what to do. I'm afraid of… what I'm feeling for her and I don't know why." Her voice was a pathetic, choked sob. She was helpless to stem the flow of tears streaming from her eyes.

"That's a discussion you'll need to have with her." Winter stood, taking her cup with her as she gestured with her head to something behind Weiss before turning around… and walking away.

A cold dread chilled her veins as Weiss slowly turned around. There she was, a small girl with bright red hair, though just like they night they danced, her braid was gone and her beautiful hair flowed freely in the gentle breeze. Her soft purple eyes met her cool blues, the emotions coming through them were hard for Weiss to read, it was a subdued mix of pain and hope that made her somehow look even more beautiful as she shattered moon bathed her in cool silver light.

"Thistle…" Weiss' voice barely made it past her lips, but in the quiet of the night, her voice carried to the girl standing behind her. Weiss could see the pain in her eyes and it brought back the memory of night they dance, and Thistle standing before her, a tulip in hand, her heart bared and vulnerable… _All because she wanted me to know how she felt, she put her heart on the line despite her fear and I crushed her… and here I am, doing it again… because I'm a coward._

"Weiss." Thistle said back, her tone cool and even.

"We need to talk." Weiss took a long, deep breath and forced herself up. Her legs felt like cement but still she pushed herself, step after step until she was standing in front of her girlfriend now only inches separating them.

"Yeah, we do."

* * *

"So… where are we going?" Weiss had followed Thistle but not a word passed between them since they left the little cafe.

"The courtyard." She replied almost numbly, her tone cold, devoid of the energy and life that Weiss knew and loved and it sent a chill down her spine.

They walked into the courtyard, Weiss had never been there at such a late hour, but it was very peaceful at night, the soft wind rustled the leaves of the tree that towered over the rest of the area. Thistle walked past several perfectly good picnic tables until she stopped at one that sat just below the tree and sat down, beckoning her girlfriend to follow her. With one more moment of hesitation, Weiss obliged and took her seat across from Thistle.

"So…" Weiss began awkwardly, fiddling with her thumbs, her hands holding each other in her lap. "How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough." Thistle said coldly and bitterly.

"Thistle… I didn't mean-"

"You didn't mean what?" Thistle squeezed her trembling hands together on the table, her voice was so saturated with pain that it made Weiss' heart ache. "How could you have meant anything when you couldn't even say it!?"

"You couldn't say it, even when she asked point blank, even when she promised to understand! Winter obviously knew and even then, you just couldn't say who I am to you!" Thistle rage was hitting her with full force, but the leader merely dipped her head and accepted everything her girlfriend had to say.

"You're ashamed of me…" Her voice fell from near yelling to a heartbreaking whimper. "You- you don't want to tell your family about me… okay, I get that you have your reasons and I respect that, but Weiss, I need to hear it from you… who am I to you?"

"Thistle, you know who you are to me…" She trailed off, she knew Thistle was right, she knew it. How could she argue?

"Weiss, I care about you. We've been a couple for a while now and partners for even longer. I fell for you the night at the docks after Blake and I fought Ruby and ever since, whenever I was around you I felt happy. I want this to work, you and I. I knew it was a long shot, I knew even asking you out was way more likely to go bad than go right, but against all odds, you said yes and it- it was one of the happiest moments of my life."

"I love being around you, getting to hold your hand, going on dates, calling you my girlfriend." The chill in her voice was completely gone, and in the soft moonlight Weiss could see content smile form from her lips and that made the heiress' heart warm with happiness and delight.

"I love those things and I like you a lot… but it can't be like this." Thistle's voice was gentle with compassion as she reached over and took Weiss' hand into her own. Weiss wanted to cry, to jump over the table and embrace her girlfriend… but she couldn't move.

"Weiss, I'd fight by your side against the entire world if I had to, I'd follow your lead and I'd put my life in your hands any day… but it seems like… I can't give you my heart." Thistle's small hand squeezed tightly around her partner's and dread and terror gripped Weiss' heart.

"I- I think… it's over between-"

"No!" Finally Weiss' body moved, all her fear scorched away by a fire that raged within her now, she held Thistle's hand more tightly as she bolted up in her seat, her cool blue eyes burned with conviction. "No! I am not letting it end like this!"

Without another word Thistle felt a hand grip hard onto her vest jacket, pulling it almost painfully around her neck before a very powerful force lifted her up and before she knew what was happening… she felt something warm and soft press into her lips.

She was reeling, but as her mind caught up with reality she saw Weiss' face very near hers. Her eyes were closed as she leaned in, pulling Thistle closer by her vest, her hand tenderly entwining her fingers between her girlfriends.

Then all thought shut down as a hot but extremely pleasant sensation burned in her chest and spread through her entire body. She let go, leaning into their first kiss, savoring every nuance. It was a bit clumsy, but Weiss' lips were extremely soft and warm and there was no mistaking the passion or tenderness behind it. Thistle's eyes fluttered closed as she let the blissful feeling take over.

After what seemed to be a long time and yet somehow, not long enough, Weiss pulled away with a trembling, hot breath, leaving a very happy but very stunned Thistle still leaning over the table. Slowly, Thistle's free hand rose up, her fingers gently caressing her own lips as a smile inevitably lit up her face.

"Th-that was…"

"Something…" Weiss finished breathlessly, her hand still held tight to Thistle's as she gently rubbed the side of her palm with her thumb.

"Yeah… that." Thistle giggled, still touching her lips as she collapsed down onto the bench.

"Thistle." Weiss cooed.

"W-what?" Thistle blinked, her mind still hazy from the feeling that left her warm and tingling after their kiss.

"You're my girlfriend, and you're very special to me." She let out a gentle sigh and a soft laugh followed. What had been impossible for her to say before now just came so effortlessly.

"When you were fighting Ruby back on the train, I woke up halfway through your fight. I was scared, I saw her overwhelming you and then, when she was about to go in for that last attack, I knew you wouldn't have been able to stop it. I was completely out of aura but… when I thought I was about to lose you, I found strength I never knew I had."

"You saved my life back then. I wouldn't have been able to stop that hit and my aura was nearly gone. Weiss, you're one of the strongest people I know, and not just in a fight. At the docks, when you accepted Blake, when you took to heart what we had said when we were searching for her, I came to respect you so much and before I knew it… respect had turned into something more." Her smile brightened and although Weiss couldn't see it in just the light of the moon, a soft blush tinted her cheeks.

"Hey," Weiss said jubilantly, beaming at Thistle. "Tomorrow, why don't we go tell Winter about us together. I want you to be there, I mean, if you still want to be… my girlfriend."

"Weiss, you don't have to-"

"I know I don't, but I want to! You're pretty incredible, and I'd be proud to tell Winter who you really are to me." Her smiled softened and with a long, deep breath of the fresh night air Weiss released Thistle's hand, the sweat that accumulated on her palm cool in the gentle breeze as she stood up and made her way around the table.

"We should probably head back, it's getting late." Weiss leaned over from behind Thistle and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before standing back up.

"Y-yeah! We should uh, probably do that." Thistle blushed as she stood, her gaze dropped shyly to the ground.

"Aww, I never thought I'd see you get flustered!" Her girlfriend let out a snort of laughter before she almost found herself pushed over as Thistle's shoulder slammed playfully into her.

"Hey, it's not my fault! I- I just didn't expect that…" Her blush intensified but then a heavy cold filled her chest, quenching the blissful fire that still smoldered from their kiss. "I mean, I thought tonight was going to be the end of… us. I'm really happy I was wrong. Weiss, I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. What I said to Winter and… what I wasn't able to say to her that I should have, I would have broken up with me too."

Weiss took her place beside Thistle and as their fingers brushed against each other they both at once took their girlfriend's hand into their own, holding each other as they walked back to the dorms in comfortable silence.

* * *

Early morning sun shined in from the window finding team WYBT fast asleep… all except for a tall blonde who lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling, deeply regretting her decision to go to bed right after her talk with Ruby and her dad the day before.

 _Dad seemed really conflicted when he left, but I think he understands what's best for Ruby now, and Ruby… she's still her same caring self_. A smile brightened her face for just a moment as she recalled the embrace the three of them shared… but her heart sank as she remembered… it was very likely the last one they would ever share as a family.

 _Ruby needs to find her own way. She's been through a lot and I just want to be there for her, even if- even if it's only as a friend, I want what's best for my little sister. She's growing up fast and she's changed a lot since losing her memories but deep down, I still get glimpses of that sweet, awkward, goofy kid I love. I still hope that maybe someday… her memory will-_

 **Knock!**

A loud but dull sound from the other side of their team's door made Yang jump back, startling her out of her thoughts as she stared wide eyed towards the source of the sound.

 **Knock!**

The sound came again and Yang looked around frantically making sure her teammates weren't woken up by the sound, knowing they need their rest for their impending tournament match. As soon as she saw that her team was still fast asleep she bolted to the door as quietly as she could, anger flaring within her as she readied to drive whoever was bothering her away, she was very much not in the mood!

As she flung open the door, her stern glare fell apart, giving way to fear and panic as the smell of alcohol washed over her and a familiar man stood looming over her.

"U-Uncle Qrow!?" Yang's eyes went wide as she took a staggering step back, her jaw hanging in disbelief. Unsteadily, Qrow wobbled into their room and leaned over Yang as he took another gulp from his flask. Finally, with his red eyes glaring down at her he spoke and his words filled Yang with dread...

"Where. Is. Ruby."


	34. Here and There

_Gotta-find-Ruby-gotta-find-Ruby-gotta-find-Ruby!_ Adrenaline surged through her veins as Yang ran around the campus looking for her little sister in an ever increasing panic.

 _I managed stall Qrow for now but I need to find Ruby before he does! Damn it, I wish I asked for her number!_ Yang nervously rubbed her scalp with her fingers messing up her beautiful blonde hair, but at the moment that was the last thing on her mind.

"Okay, okay, calm down! Think, it's still early in the morning so she's probably still in her dorm… so where the heck is her dorm!?" Her heart was pounding in her chest as her head whipped from side to side, her brain wasn't exactly being helpful as fear overwhelmed her ability to think very clearly.

"Wait! Sun would know, he's also in the visitors dorm! Okay, so I need to find Sun, that means I need to find Blake!" Her mind sharpened as she did a one-eighty and bolted back to her dorm hoping that her faunus teammate hadn't decided to take an early morning visit to the Beacon library.

 _Okay, I told Qrow she might be in the cafeteria, hopefully that's the one place she isn't at right now. Damn it! I wish I could have come up with a better lie but my stupid brain just wouldn't work with me!_ She gritted her teeth and suddenly found herself really wishing she had her little sister's Semblance!

In her mad dash back to her room she turned a lot of heads, especially since she nearly plowed through several students on her way there. By the time she made it to the dormitory her lungs were burning and her throat was painfully dry, but still she didn't slow down.

"Blake!" Yang burst through her bedroom door, sweat dripped down her eyebrows as she panted for breath.

"Yang? What's wrong?" Blake looked up from her book, she sat comfortably on her bed, surprisingly still in her pajamas.

"Scroll now! Need to call Sun!" Her body quivered with exhaustion as she hunched over, resting her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath to be able to talk coherently.

"What's going on? You're acting strange. Does this have anything to do with your uncle showing up earlier?" She closed her book and even without a proper explanation, picked up her Scroll from the dresser beside her and extended it out to her partner.

"Yeah, I just need to find where the visitors dorm is and where Ruby's room is, he might know both!" Yang took the Scroll from Blake's hand and fumbled through her contacts until she found the one she was looking for.

 **Click.**

It range only twice before a familiar voice answered from the other end.

"Hey Blake, what's up?" Sun's friendly and laidback tone was mixed with just a suspicious hint of excitement as he answered.

"Hey Sun, it's Yang, do you know where Ruby's dorm is, please it's an emergency!" Yang didn't have the time or energy to speculate.

"Um, hey Yang. The visitor's dormitory is by the cafeteria on the east side. I think Ruby's room number is fifty-seven… I think." He sounded really unsure but it was the best Yang was going to get.

"Wait! Did you say near the cafeteria?!" Her heart skipped a beat, she didn't even wait for an answer before she threw the Scroll onto Blake's bed and turned on her heels before bolting out the door as fast as she could, leaving a very confused Blake and Sun behind.

 _Crap, that look Qrow had, he's completely unhinged! I can't let him get to Ruby, if he tries to force her to come back she'll fight her way out and if those to fight it'll be a disaster, Ruby may never speak to me again or she may just run away! I have to calm Qrow down but first I need to get Ruby somewhere safe!_

It was stupidly hot for an autumn morning, or at least it felt that way to Yang as she rounded the cafeteria building, glancing in through the windows. _No sign of Qrow, that's either good news or really, really bad! He probably knows exactly where the visitors dorm is!_

Cool air hit her as she rushed into the building on the east side of the cafeteria, she silently thanked the universe as she found herself staring down a hallways with rows of familiar doors. She was definitely in the right place.

"Please be fifty-seven!" Yang jogged down the hall, her legs feeling too weak to run at her top speed anymore. Her eyes scanned the numbers above the doors as quickly as she could without stopping. _Fifty-five, fifty-six… fifty-seven!_

Yang came to a screeching halt at the door with the number she had been searching for above it. She took long, slow breaths knowing she'd need at least the ability to speak before she whisked her sister away, especially if she didn't want Ruby's new teammates holding her up. With a deep breath she steadied herself and knocked on the door. From the other side she could hear footsteps approaching and then the doorknob slowly turned and the door creaked open.

"Oh, it's you." A tall boy with gray hair wearing a gray and black vest looked down at her with a neutral expression as he leaned his shoulder against the doorframe.

"Is Ruby here? I need to talk to her, it's really important." Yang tried not to sound as desperate as she was, though her mind was eased a little knowing she at least had the right room. However Mercury gave her a long, contemplating looking.

"Yeah," He stood up straight and with a jerk of his head beckoned her to follow him.

With only a moment of hesitation Yang followed him, letting the door close behind her. Their room looked just like any other room. A young woman with pitch black hair and amber eyes looked up at her, somehow Yang felt uncomfortable under her gaze. Then she saw Ruby sitting cross legged on a bed with Emerald sitting in front of her, each had a hand full of playing cards. Ruby looked a little lost, Yang could only imagine Emerald was teaching her how to play poker by the looks of it, and based on the smirk the mint haired girl wore, it wasn't going well for her little sister.

"Ruby." Yang called, stealing her sister's attention away from the cards in her hand. Her expression turned from confused to straight up thankful as she dropped her cards face down onto the bed.

"Yang! I didn't expect to see you here. What's up?" She smiled amiably as she uncrossed her legs and swung them over the edge of the bed.

"Well, it's kind of a long story but first, has an older guy with red eyes, black hair and a cape who smells like a bar been by recently?" Yang looked around the room nervously, keeping one ear facing the door.

"No?" Ruby raised an eyebrow as she looked to the rest of her team in confusion. "Why? What's going on?"

"Okay, I can't explain everything here because we don't have a lot of time, but let's just say someone from your past is looking for you and he's not exactly in the most reasonable mood. I want to hide you somewhere until I can talk him down." Yang knew her barebones explanation might not be adequate but there wasn't time for much else. She just prayed Ruby would go along with it.

"Alright." Ruby said calmly as she got to her feet and walked over to her. Much to Yang's surprise she didn't have the slightest hint of hesitation in accepting her story.

"Guys," Ruby turned to her team with a reassuring smile. "If someone shows up looking for me, be helpful."

Yang was pretty confused but by the sly and pleased grins Ruby got from her team as well as the understanding nod from Mercury, she figured her sister's team got some sort of message she was left out of, but she didn't have time to worry about that.

"Come on, I know just the place for you the lay low until I get this mess sorted out." Yang grabbed Ruby's wrist and as walked to the door but just as she opened it, she turned back to her sibling's team. "Thank you, for keeping Ruby safe."

She didn't have the strength to wait to see how they reacted to the sudden display of gratitude. With a shaky breath she turned back to the door and walked out, pulling Ruby behind her.

* * *

"Yang, I know we're in a hurry and all but maybe you could explain to me where we're going?" Ruby had followed along with her very anxious and somewhat paranoid acting friend without any real explanation as to who it was that was looking for her or what exactly would happen if he found her. As the two made their way down the halls of Beacon's main dorm Ruby felt her apprehension growing.

"We're going to my friend's dorm, it's right across from mine so it's the last place Qrow will look." Yang walked right in front of Ruby, keeping her pace set to match hers so they didn't drift too far apart, her eyes darted from side to side and every so often she would turn her head to see if her uncle was behind her.

Finally the pair came to a stop at a samy looking door. Yang raised her fist to knock on it and took a quick look down both sides of the hall as she knocked rapidly and quietly at the door. Yang's paranoia was beginning to catch onto Ruby as she to found her gaze darting back and forth without even knowing who she was supposed to be keeping away from.

The door opened just an inch before Yang grabbed Ruby's wrist once more and pushed her way in and in a blur of yellow she turned and slammed it behind her while letting out a long drawn out breath of relief.

"Um… hi." Ruby squeaked bashfully with an awkward smile as she waved to the four very confused looking students staring at her and Yang.

"Um, hi?" A boy with short blonde hair and blue eyes stood closest to them. He wore a white chestplate of armor over a black hoodie.

"Hey!" A girl with short orange hair yelped excitedly as she jumped up from her bed. Beside her a boy with shoulder length black hair with a streak of pink simple watched her quietly.

"Yang, what's going on? Is something wrong?" Ruby turned to a strangely familiar girl with long red hair, green eyes and golden armor looking fretfully at Yang.

"Okay, there's something going on but I don't really have time to explain. Can Ruby stay here with you guys until I have this more under control?" Yang looked pleadingly at the boy with the blonde hair and he in turn looked to the other three behind him. Ruby guessed that by the way they were looking back at him, he was the leader.

"Yeah, she can stay here but you sure you don't need some help? You look a little-"

"Crazy?" The girl with the short red hair and turquoise eyes blurted out tactlessly, cutting her leader off and eliciting an exasperated head shake from the quiet boy beside her.

"Look I'm fine, I'm just a bit stressed. There's a lot going on right now. I've got to go but I really appreciate this! Ruby I'll be back in a bit!" She quickly bolted out the door leaving her five very confused friends behind as the door slammed behind her.

"Uh…" Ruby slowly and nervously turned back to the group whose room she had apparently taken temporary asylum in. All eyes were on her and an awkward quiet set in around the room.

"I know you…" Pyrrha's eyes widened as she looked at the small young girl Yang had left with them.

It took her a moment but Pyrrha remember. Ruby's outfit was very different now; she wore a black choker with a small red gem in the middle and two smaller gems dangling off thing gold chains on either side of the middle gem. Her hood was now black instead of red and it flowed into a long cape that slowly faded to crimson at its end. The cape and hood were both part of a black jacket that covered the length of her arms with folded up red cuffs at her wrists. Instead of a skirt she now wore black shorts with red knee socks and boots. She definitely looked different but there was no mistaking it.

"You do?" Ruby asked as she tilted her head. Suddenly her eyes grew wide, she also recognized the girl clad in gold armor. _She- she's the girl I ran into when I was running from the police! Right after I robbed that Dust shop for Roman!_

"You two know each other?" Jaune looked between the two girls looking modestly confused.

"Yes, we bumped into each other while she was still missing". Pyrrha's gaze was soft but subtle as she stared at the nervous young girl.

"Yang told us you lost your memory, is that true?" Ren spoke up as succinct as ever, his hands folding in front of his chin as he leaned forward on his bed.

"Yeah, I got hit in the head pretty hard I guess and I don't really remember anything from before that." Ruby's eyes nervously looked around the room, avoiding the eyes of Team JNPR as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

"That must be awful." Pyrrha frowned, her voice gentle with empathy for her friend's sister.

"I guess. I mean, it's not like I can miss anything if I don't remember anything to miss so... I mean, it gets kinda lonely sometimes but it's not so bad. Well, besides people who are apparently related to me coming out of the woodwork every day, that's a bit of a problem." Ruby rubbed the back of her head bashfully.

"So you don't even remember your family?" Jaune blue eyes glistened with compassion.

"I don't, and that makes things really uncomfortable. Yang took a while to get used to the idea that I really can't think of her as a sister anymore and I know that it still hurts her but we've become pretty good friends so at least there's that. I met with a man who was apparently my dad, that was weird and pretty depressing. Now there's this Qrow guy I'm hiding from… I just hope this is the last time this happens, it's really stressful." Ruby's head hung low, her body felt weak and heavy from fear and anxiety, the way Yang had been acting was really putting her on edge.

 _Who's this Qrow, who was he to me? Is he dangerous? Yang seems to think so. What if he tries to- to take me back? Will I have to fight? Mercury and I's double's match is coming up only a few hours, I really hope it doesn't come to that, I'll need all my strength to not slow Mercury down._ Ruby's eyes opened as she felt a gentle pressure on her shoulder that shook her from her spiraling thoughts. Looking up she saw Jaune smiling reassuringly, around her the rest of Team JNPR shared his comforting look and Ruby couldn't help but feel… safe around these people she didn't even know.

"Don't worry Ruby, we're not going to let anything happen to you, and you know Yang's got your back. Just relax." Jaune's smile held as he took his hand from the small girl's shoulder. Ruby stared up at him, her silver eyes wide and before she knew it, she too began to smile gratefully at him.

"You're right… thank you." Despite her happy visage, deep down Ruby couldn't shake a growing sense of dread and foreboding…

* * *

"Winter…" Weiss and Thistle stood in front of the elder Schnee sister, Weiss summoning up all the courage she had in her as Winter stared up at her with a cold blue gaze while she sipped her tea. A cool breeze flowed around them as mid morning light illuminated the shaded outdoor dining area. Again they were alone, most people had already flocked to the stadium for the next match.

"Yes?" Winter's voice was as cold and stern as ever and even Thistle was feeling the pressure of her eyes, she could only imagine how hard this must be for Weiss. Still, the thought of what her girlfriend was about to do for her in spite of her fear made Thistle's heart flutter with a warm happiness that gave her strength

"I- or rather, we, have something to tell you." Weiss took a long, deep inhale as she steeled herself. Closing her eyes she gave herself one more moment to gather her resolve and as her soft blue eyes opened she inched to her side.

Thistle and Weiss's hands gently brushed each other and at once their hands interlocked. Thistle could feel Weiss' grip holding her tight as it trembled ever so slightly. With a small but warm smile Thistle tenderly stroked Weiss' hand with her thumb and quickly she felt her leader relax by her touch.

"I'm listening." The older sister's tone never faltered but as her eyes fell to the couple's joined hands an ephemeral smile brightened her stern face for only an instant. It was clear to Thistle that she already knew, but felt thankful to her for giving Weiss the time she needed to say what she needed to say regardless.

"Thistle and I- we… we are-"

"Weiss, Thistle!" A familiar voice cut Weiss off as their boisterous blonde teammate came bursting out of nowhere, huffing for breath as she leaned over and rested her hands on her knees as she dripped with sweat.

As Yang looked up she caught the very unhappy glares of her two teammates and a woman who sat in front of them who looked suspiciously like Weiss, Yang figured it was her older sister, though that was mere a passing thought as she caught her breath.

"Yang, what is wrong with you!?" Weiss shouted in reprimand. "I'm in the middle of telling my sister that Thistle and I are romantically involved and you- you just…"

Weiss' face turned bright red as she realized what had just slipped out of her mouth. Almost mechanically, the leader's head turned slowly to face her sister who looked little more than amused as she took a sip of her tea. A sudden snort of laughter from her side made her turn to her girlfriend who looked on the brink of bursting into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

"Aww, that's sweet Weiss…" Yang panted. "You two make a cute couple… I'm happy for you both."

'I- but we- you… I- I rehearsed this…" Weiss' absolutely distraught frown and sad eyes melted Thistle's heart.

"Aww it's okay Weiss," Thistle pulled her hand from her girlfriend and wrapped it around her waist and pulled her close, deeping the leader's blush. "We said the important part at least."

"Okay, now that you two are done with that, have you seen an older guy with black hair and a cape that smells like a bar?" Yang finally caught her breath as she wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm. _My legs are going so sore tomorrow._

"What are you even talking about?" Weiss growled indignantly. "The least you could do is be coherent after interrupting-"

"Qrow…" Winter groaned begrudgingly as she brought her hand between her eyes, holding the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger with a look of immense irritation.

"You know my uncle?" Yang's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Yes, unfortunately." She sighed. "If you're looking for him I saw him leaving from the visitors dorm, he asked me if a girl with a red and black cape had run by as he was sure he saw her before she apparently vanished. He seemed even more unstable and ill tempered than usual so I didn't bother with him. He was heading back to the main dorms when I left him to come here."

"The main dorms!?" Yang's eyes grew wide and her heart began to race again and her legs ached in protest but she knew she had no choice. "Alright thanks bye!"

Without another word she took off again, her legs feeling like they had turned to lead but still she ran as fast as she could leaving the three girls staring at her looking completely perplexed.

"Well that was... odd." Weiss said raising an eyebrow dubiously as she leaned just a little closer against Thistle's warm side, as she did she felt her girlfriend's arm tighten around her waist.

"Between her and Ruby it seems like that whole family is weird." Thistle shrugged, her head falling slowly to the side as she let it come to rest against Weiss' cool, soft cheek. Before she knew it, a blissful smile brightened her face and her purple eyes closed as she took in Weiss' scent and warmth.

"Eh-hem, I'm still here."

"Oh! S-sorry!" Weiss and Thistle at once pulled away from each other with hot blushes reddening their cheeks.

* * *

Yang's wild sprint slowed, her legs begging to give out, she'd been running at top speed almost all morning and she was really feeling the burn. Inside the dorms the AC cooled the hallways which felt unbelievably refreshing… for about half a second before her focus fell entirely on the man leaning against her team's door with his arms crossed over his chest as one bent as she shoe rested on the door.

"U-uncle Qrow… I um, I've been looking for you." Yang smiled innocently.

"Oh yeah? Well, you found me. Now tell me, where is Ruby." His gruff voice sounded a little more cool than it did when he woke her up.

"What are you going to do if you find her?" Yang asked defensively, knowing the time for pretext and playing coy was over.

"Look," Qrow brought his raised foot back to the ground and stood straight, his arms falling to his side and a relaxed grin formed from his lips. "I just need to see her for myself, Tai filled me in on… most of the details. I promise, I won't make a scene, I just want to talk."

Yang Glared at him suspiciously, slowly bringing herself into a defensive stance. She knew, in a fight, she wouldn't stand a chance against the full fledged Huntsman, but no matter what, she wasn't going to lose Ruby again.

"Swear to me that you're just going to talk and that you'll listen to what she has to say!" Yang's aura flared and her eyes turned red, however Qrow seemed wholly unimpressed by the lightshow.

"I swear, I'm just here to see for myself. She's my family to ya know, I need to know if she's really okay." His smile waned and he voice became serious, his crimson eyes softened with sadness as a small sigh escaped his lips. Yang watched him for a long moment, but she knew that her uncle rarely got emotional, preferring to distance himself with wisecracks and sarcasm.

"Fine…" Yang let loose a soft breath and her eyes returned to their normal lilac color. Without another word she turned around to face the door opposite of hers and with brief hesitation she knocked.

"Clever, hiding her right in front of me the whole time." He actually sounded impressed.

A moment passed and the door slowly opened.

"Is everything okay now?" Jaune said cautiously the door only opened just enough for him to poke his head out.

"Out of my way." Qrow growled impatiently as he pushed the door open, nearly knocking Jaune over in the process.

Time seemed to grind to a halt and Ruby turned around, her wide silver eyes meeting Qrow's deep reds. The two stared at each other and the room fell into a tense silence. Pain and sadness dulled Qrow's eyes while Ruby only seemed to look confused and apprehensive.

"It's okay Ruby, he just wants to talk!" Yang squeezed her way in past Qrow as Jaune staggered back to his feet.

"About that…" In a blur of silver a massive blade cut through the air as Qrow pulled his sword from his back, the tip of the blade stopping only inches from Ruby's terrified face.

"Let's take this outside."


	35. Reaper Dance

Yang's heart was racing and her chest felt tight as she watched her uncle and her little sister stare each other down in the middle of the courtyard. Qrow's sword was drawn and ready and Ruby held her scythe, its blade hovering just above the ground, ready to strike at a moment's notice. _I couldn't stop them, either of them. Ruby said she wouldn't back down but she has no idea who she's going up against. He taught her everything she knows._

"Cute scythe kid, I liked your old one better but I guess I can see the appeal." Qrow chuckled to himself as he took his flask from his side and took a swig.

"I wouldn't know." Ruby narrowed her eyes, her whole body tensed with adrenaline and anticipation. Her grip tightened around the shaft of her scythe, her thumb resting on the switch that ignited the signature flames that engulfed its blade. _I've got a bad feeling. He's probably really strong, If I lose… I'm not sure I could stop him from taking me back. I can't just run and abandon my team. Okay, so I'll just have to win then!_

As Qrow shook out the last few drops of alcohol from his flask onto his tongue he shrugged and tossed it on the grassy floor beneath him. The tension spiked in the air as his expression hardened, his gaze burning into Ruby as her silver eyes burned back at him. The two scythe masters glared each other down and Yang felt almost suffocated by the electricity in the air.

With heavy mechanical sounds The hilt of Qrow's sword extended and the blade began to arc. Ruby's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped as his sword transformed before her into menacing scythe and for just a moment, Qrow's cocky smirk returned.

 _A scythe… he must have been the one who taught me how to fight._ Ruby gulped nervously and her jaw clenched. _I've never fought someone else who uses a scythe, at least, not as far as I remember. Most of the time I can catch people off guard with Inferno Crescent but that won't work this time… but I bet he's never had to deal with someone who fights like me! Between what my muscles remember from his training and what I learned from Neo, I might just be able to do this._

Ruby took a long, deep breath and then…

 _ **Whoooosh!**_

In a blur of rose petals Ruby wasted no time as she launched herself forward as fast as she could, the ground beneath where she had stood was now a small crater! Rearing her scythe back she prepared to strike with all her strength!

Qrow smirked as he casually raised he scythe. Metal struck metal as Ruby's blade hit his, the force of the impact made the ground tremble hard enough for Yang to feel it through her feet as she watched. Ruby hung in the air for a long moment, her eyes wide with shock, but Qrow only looked vaguely amused.

"I'm not done yet!" Ruby landed on her feet and swung her Scythe once again.

The two scythe wielders clashed, Qrow seeming to effortlessly parry each of Ruby's slashes. With each deflected hit Ruby's barrage of slashes only grew faster and harder. They were going so fast their weapons were little more than blurs of silver but Ruby was pushing her uncle on the defensive as she moved faster and faster, forcing him to backpedal from the onslaught!

"Gah!" Ruby yelped in pain as a powerful kick compressed her chest, forcing the air from her lungs as it sent her staggering back.

Qrow went on the offensive and their positions switched. With a powerful swing of his scythe he aimed at Ruby's neck while she was still recoiling from his kick. However his blade only met air as she hopped back just out of reach and without a single wasted movement she spun on her heels and with a wide swing slashed at him with the small end of her blade.

 **Bang!**

A shot rang out from the end of his scythe and the recoil reversed its direction as he spun with it! The curves of their blades met and hooked into each other, a shrill screech of grinding metal edges echoed through the courtyard!

Qrow smiled at her as he pushed her blade back with his superior strength, her small arms trembling as she fought against him. _I can't lose any more ground, I have to put him on the defensive again!_

Now a smug grin lit up her face as her eyes glimmered playfully just as her mentor did when she trained her. Ruby relaxed her arms and let Qrow push her scythe back, but she didn't lose ground, instead she leaned back with the force and let her weapon slip from her hands as she fell into a handstand, her uncle's scythe passing only inches above her face as her upper body fell!

Adrenaline and confidence surged through Ruby as her legs shot up and wrapped around the hilt of her scythe! Even from her upside down vantage point she could she the very surprised look her opponent now wore. Twisting her her legs and core Ruby fought almost as deftly with her scythe as she did with her arms but with significantly more force.

With each squeeze of her legs and twist of her body she easily parried his attacks and with her hands effortlessly dancing along the ground even with her full weight on top of them she easily danced around him, weaving through his kicks and countering with the hilt of her scythe. She was at point blank range and she was forcing Qrow on the defensive with her unique fighting style!

 _I've got you now!_ Bringing her leg down from atop her scythe she brought the blade swinging down at his head and just as he narrowly blocked it she pushed her foot up over the switch of her scythe and relaxed her body.

 _ **Fwooosh!**_

A massive ball of fire exploded from her blade, the force sent her flying but her legs held tight to the hilt as she rolled through the air with it. Just before a painful impact with the ground she flipped herself up and grabbed hold of the hilt of her weapon in her hands and stabbed it into the earth, the sudden pull from her scythe felt as though it would rip her arm off as she came to a screeching halt!

I short distance away the ground burned… but Qrow still stood. His clothes were singed but his Scythe was held in front of him, the large blade seeming to protect his head and chest from a direct and devastating hit from the fireball. His expression was stark and focused as he slowly lowered his blade.

"Aaaaaaah!" With a belligerent battle cry Ruby wasted no time as she burst into rose petals and reared her scythe back, exploding into a high speed attack as she blitzed Qrow, her scythe still raging with intense fire!

Again they collided, Qrow sliced upwards knocking Ruby's scythe with it as a jet of flames shot out, he could feel the intense heat against his skin. Suddenly Qrow was an entirely different fighter as he spun his scythe around just as fast as Ruby as they exchanged blows and parries, sparks and embers splashed out with each hit bathing them in a hot orange glow as the fought!

 _This is bad! I don't have the Dust to keep this up forever! He's too strong! So, this is what a full fledged Huntsman can do…_ Gritting her teeth Ruby kept up her assault but she could feel her strength slowly waning.

Suddenly after weaving between her attacks Qrow swung down at her with devastating force, the raw power of the shock wave from their impacting weapons made the air and ground tremble! Ruby was forced back, her boots slid across the ground shearing grass from the soil as she was thrown backwards but still stood.

Ruby's small body was shaking from fatigue and adrenaline, her throat throat was dry and her chest ached, still she held her weapon firm in front of her and glared at her opponent. With a swipe of her thumb the fire died down around her scythe. Qrow stood stoick with one hand in his pocket and the other casually resting his scythe over his shoulder.

 _He out matches me in speed, strength and skill. I've only got one good hit on him out of surprise but he's a lot more on his guard now so I doubt I'll get the drop on him so easily next time. After that last exchange I'm down to about half my dust. I have to think before I-_

*Bang!*

Another shot rang out from the end of Qrow's scythe aimed right at Ruby. In the last instant before she would have been shot down she cut the blast in half with her scythe, the impact staggering her back.

Qrow unleashed blast after blast at the small girl. It was all she could do to keep her scythe spinning to deflect each one getting forced further and further back and with each impact she felt her aura steadily declining. He was relentless firing each blast at the exact opposite position of her blade, if she slowed down even the tiniest bit it would be over for her!

Then Ruby's heart skipped a beat and her blood turned to ice in her veins as she felt her back touch a very solid surface… he had backed her up against a wall.

With deadly cold in his crimson eyes he walked slowly forward, never slowing his fire or faltering in his aim, his pattern of shots kept her pinned, there was no rush for him, because there was no escape for her. All he had to do was keep getting closer and the small difference in his blasts had to travel were quickly adding up as Ruby was pushing her body to its absolute limit just to keep from taking a direct hit!

 _I didn't want to do this but I don't have a choice, it didn't work on Mercury but maybe… just maybe, it'll work on him!_ Her body surged with energy as she pooled her strength, her teeth bit down so hard she felt they would shatter at any moment but still she kept knocking away his attacks. _I've just got to wait until he's a little bit closer… just hold on!_

Step after step Ruby felt time crawl by agonizingly slowly. Her body felt it would give out at any moment, but she kept pushing herself to fight finally the distance between them was no more that a few meters away. _Now!_

Her scythe burst into flames once again as she swung it out, as wave of fire met Qrow's blasts and with the extra second it bought her she sparked into action!

Ruby slammed her scythe into the ground and forced her body up until her feet met the wall behind her! With all her might she pulled Inferno Crescent up with her, Qrow's blasts slamming into the wall just below her. As gravity forced her body down she closed her eyes and held her breath.

 _Please work!_

 _ **Fwooosh!**_

In an explosion of fire and rose petals Ruby exploded forward at ungodly speeds, her Semblance augmented by the force of the expanding fireball behind her, powderizing the wall and leaving a massive scorch mark in her wake!

Ruby twisted her body in mid flight sending herself into a deadly spin with the blade of her scythe still consumed by the raging inferno that now engulfed the small red blur creating a tail of fire like a meteor as she barreled down at Qrow with the most reckless but overwhelming attack she bring to bear upon him!

Qrow's eyes went wide as the massive ball of blade and flame charged at him. He barely had an instant to react. Gritting his teeth He raised his scythe and braced for impact.

It felt like a bomb went off, Yang was nearly staggered by quaking of the earth as the two combatants crashed into each other. A whirlwind of flames exploded out around the two scythe wielders and smoldering rose petals rained down around them. The force of the blast carried them halfway across courtyard… but Qrow still stood, his aura aura became visible for just a moment as it buckled from the damage Ruby had caused, but he blocked her attack and Ruby was barely standing.

 _T-that's impossible! I… I hit him with everything I had!_ She glared up at him, her entire body was shaking as she held her scythe to his, the arcs of their blades crossed. 'I'm almost out of Dust… I've got maybe one more good burst left.'

In a sudden, fluid movement Qrow spun around, snaking his scythe behind hers and hooking it with the curve of his blade. In her weakened state all it took was a flick of his wrist to pry her weapon from her trembling hands.

"Ruby!" Yang cried out. _I have to stop Qrow before he- he kills her!_ Yang's lavender eyes were scorched red as her Semblance flared! She reached into her pocket and began punching in her location to summon her rocket locker containing her Ember Celica.

 **Bang!**

Yang's Scroll exploded in her hands…

"We aren't done yet." Qrow put his scythe over his shoulder and then without breaking eye contact with Yang, he slammed his foot down on top of Ruby's Inferno Crescent just as she was reaching for it when she thought he was distracted.

Ruby stared up into his crimson eyes as she slowly stood back up. Fear gripped her heart, screaming at her to run away. She took a panicked step back, her eyes wide and her pulse racing. _I can't win, he's too strong. I- I won't let him take me back, I won't let him anywhere near my friends! I can't run, I've done so much, I've come way too far, I'm going to save Roman and I'm not going to let anyone stop me!_

As though someone had flipped a switch… her demeanor changed. Her body stopped trembling and her shoulders relaxed as she closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. The atmosphere between the two fighters seems to freeze over like an arctic wind had blown through. When Ruby's eyes finally opened, she looked into Qrow's scarlet eyes with a silver gaze so frigid and steady even Qrow looked unnerved as the ominous silence filled the air.

A smug, cocksure grin formed from her lips and a playful glimmer warmed her icy gaze as she tilted her head to the side. Then the battle ignited once again! Ruby burst into action, springing into a backflip with a boot aimed right at Qrow's head!

In an easy motion he repelled her, the top of his scythe catching her foot, but it was exactly what she wanted! She followed through with her kick, pushing down on his scythe with all her might, lifting her body up just a little more. Her smirk grew as she locked eyes with Qrow before twisting her body painfully fast and sending the tip of her boot right into the side of his face!

The instant Ruby hit the ground she fell into a sweeping low kick aimed at his shins only to meet the hit of his scythe with her boot. With a spin of his scythe Qrow aimed his gun at Ruby, the blast slammed into the ground where she had been just a moment after she pulled herself up into a flip, landing on her feet just out of range of his blade.

 _I'm not going to win this without my scythe, I've to to get him off of it!_ She gritted her teeth as her aimed his gun at her.

Without hesitation he pulled the trigger, but again he missed his mark. The blast flying through a cloud of rose petals as Ruby ran around him, quickly drawing closer and closer as she zigzagged between his fire, stopping and going, none of his attacks could land.

 _I'm only going to get one change, I have to make it count!_ Finally she saw an opening, gritting her teeth Ruby steeled herself as she she came to a stop right in front of her adversary. She glared at Qrow, her eyes challenging him to attack… and he did!

Qrow swept his scythe at Ruby as she stood before him, the force behind his blade would be enough to break her remaining aura but still she didn't flinch or hesitate. Just inches before his scythe would finish her Ruby sprang up into a flip, she could feel the air from his blade rushing by so close it gave her chills, but she had done it!

She didn't have time to even look where she was going, the instant her feet touched the ground Ruby blurred forward, rose petals scattering behind her. She squeezed her eyes closed and brace herself.

She felt her body plow into something and then, she was falling. Time seemed to move in slow motion as she opened her eyes. Her shoulder slammed painfully against his chest, but she could feel him falling off balance. Ruby reached her leg out below her and kicked her scythe out from beneath him as hard as she could before pushing off from him!

Huffing for breath she fell to the ground before activating her semblance again, this time to get away from Qrow and to get the scythe she kicked a short distance away… but she was too weak, as her hand grabbed the hilt of the Inferno Crescent she tumbled along with ground like a stone skipping over water, holding on to her weapon for dear life as she skidded to a painful stop.

 _I- I got my scythe back… I can barely stand. What am I going to do?! I've used every trick I have, I'm almost out of Dust and Aura and he- he's coming! Get up damn it! Get up!_ Her muscles burned and her whole body was sore but still she forced herself to rise, weakly clutching her weapon in her hands as Qrow approached.

 _Okay… I've only got one chance. It worked on Neo, Weiss and Mercury… but will he really fall for it? I- I guess I don't really have a choice._ With frail, quivering breaths Ruby grinned at him and gave a soft, tired laugh.

Slowly and disarmingly Ruby lifted her scythe and brought it to rest atop her shoulders and behind her neck, her arms resting casually atop it to keep it steady. Qrow's eyes flashed with curiosity and his approach slowed cautiously, his scythe resting over his shoulder ready to swing down at a moment's notice.

"I'm not going back." Ruby bared her teeth as eyes narrowed at her uncle, trying to keep his attention away from her tensing legs. _Just a little closer, I have to time this perfectly… if everything goes right I can do this!_

 _Now!_ Ruby's silver eyes shot wide open and adrenaline flooded her veins! With all the strength she had left ruby leaped high into the air and twisted her body into a spin with her Scythe still resting on her shoulders. Her entire body weight and all her momentum was focused into the tip of her blade aimed right at Qrow!

Like any sane person would do Qrow stepped back from the easily avoidable attack. The instant he did Ruby pulled her arms from over her shoulders and grabbed the butt of her weapon just as the curve of Ruby's scythe rolled along the ground! A wild grin lit up Ruby's face as her thumb flicked the switch and an explosion of fire propelled her forward legs first aimed at Qrow's chest! _I've got you n-_

 **Bang!**

A powerful impact sent a wave of pain over Ruby's back and through her entire body as her aura gave out. Her hands fell from her scythe as she went limp before she fell to the ground like a rag doll. Qrow loomed above her, leaning against his scythe with pained but cold gaze… he had won.

 _I- I couldn't do it… I couldn't do it._ Ruby's heart felt like it was being suffocated, like her blood had turned to ice water. Her jaw clenched and she bared her teeth, forcing herself to sit up despite the pain.

As she rose to a kneel she felt the cold edge of Qrow's blade against her back. Still she didn't yield. She glared at him, her silver eyes pooled with tears as she stared defiantly into his eyes, but his face just looked… sad.

"I'm not going back… this is my life… you won't take it from me… you won't… I won't let you…" She could barely speak between her weak, labored breaths.

"Is that right?" His voice was cold but Ruby could hear undeniable hurting behind it as his hand reached out towards her. Fear soared in the small girl's heart but still her defiant gaze didn't waver.

"No!" Yang screamed, her semblance flaring back up as she ran towards the, weapon on not she had to protect Ruby… but then… she stopped.

Qrow had let his scythe fall to the ground. Ruby's eyes grew wide as his hand gently fell atop her head, gently running his rough hand over her hair and a soft, wistful smile formed from his lips, warming his once cold visage.

"You did good kid." His eyes were soft with pride and sadness at once as he got on one knee to make himself eye level with his niece. "You fight like that, you're going to go far at Haven. Just remember to never stop growing and never stop learning."

"I- I don't understand…" Ruby's voice was little more than a whisper but she was left otherwise speechless by what she saw in his eyes, an unmistakable feeling in his touch and a warmth in his voice. She felt it from Roman, from Neo, from Yang and from her dad… it was… love.

His hand descended to her forehead and gently he brushed her bangs aside revealing the scar that marked where she had lost her memory, a scar that she thought of a symbol, to her, it represented a new life, a clean slate, but for a moment, she saw his lip quiver before he gave a small shake of his head and let her bangs fall back over her scar.

In a blur Ruby found herself pulled towards him as his strong arms tenderly embraced her small, weak body. Around them a soft breeze made their capes flow at once and swirled soft rose petals around them. Her heart skipped a beat as he held her in a soft, gentle hung, squeezing Ruby close and tight, her head resting on his shoulder and in her ear, she heard him whisper softly;

"Good bye kid. I should have said it more but... I love you."

Just as suddenly as it had begun, Qrow released her and stood up, grabbing his scythe before spinning around and holding his head low. Without another word… he walked away, leaving Ruby staring up at him with a soft and sad expression and in her heart… she felt at once happiness and pain. She watched as Yang ran to him and for just a moment, she wanted to run to him too.

"Uncle Qrow…" Yang's voice was soft and compassionate as she followed behind him.

"Leave me alone kid." Qrow's fist balled and with his other hand he pulled his flask from his side and gave it a shake before giving a long, broken sigh. "I need a drink… a strong one."

Ruby kneeled in the soft grass as she watched him leave, she hadn't even noticed until the soft breeze cooled her cheeks, but she was crying. _Qrow… he was crying too._


	36. Together

Ruby lay sprawled out in the cool grass, the warm sun shined down on her soothing her aching body. She managed to find one of the few places in the courtyard that survived her battle with Qrow hours earlier. A teacher named Goodwitch had shown and repaired much of the damage… _I thought for sure I'd get yelled at. I wonder if that Qrow guy got in trouble instead since he was the one that started it?_

"This sucks." Ruby let out a long, exhausted sigh as her eyes gently fluttered closed. _Yang didn't stick around either, I guess that whole thing got to her. I- I still don't know what to think about everything that happened. I left a family behind that really loved me didn't I? Okay, no! Snap out of it Ruby, you don't have time to beat your head against things like that, I've got to focus on restoring my aura as much as possible, my match is in less than an hour!_

"You look like crap." A familiar voice made Ruby's heart skip a beat as her eyes shot open!

"Mercury! You scared me!" She narrowed her eyes at her teammate as she slowly and sorely sat herself up. "Also, you'd be a mess too after the fight I've been through!"

"Yeah, I heard from your sister that you got your ass kicked by an old man." He chuckled before plopping himself down on the grass right beside her.

"Hey, he was a full fledged Huntsman! A really strong one too!" Ruby huffed, turning away from him in protest.

"Who smelled like my dad after a bad day." Mercury's voice softened for just a moment, it was so brief Ruby nearly missed it, but there was just a trace of sadness in his words.

"Your dad?" Ruby turned back to him with a compassionate stare, her tone gentle and worried as her eyes met his.

"Yeah, he practically lived inside a bottle." He shrugged, throwing his arms behind his head as he fell onto the grass beside her, as they once again stared up at the sky together.

"I'm sorry." She frowned as she rolled on her side to face him, the soft grass tickling her cheek, her head resting atop one of her hands. A light autumn breeze flowed around them, their hair swaying gently like the large tree that cast a shadow over them. For a long moment they let a comfortable silence fall between them, she watched him as he stared up at the clear blue sky and the tree branches above them with wistful detachment.

"Don't be," He broke the quiet they created, his eyes still fixed upward. "It's ancient history, something I'd like to forget, but we can't all be lucky enough to get amnesia."

"I met my dad." The admission should have been hard, ever since then it had been weighing on her mind. Elements from her past were visiting her one after the other like ghosts… _I'm not sure my new team, Cinder and Emerald would trust me, I'm not even sure Mercury trusts me but still, I want to tell him._

"How'd that go?" He shifted, rolling onto his side to face her, his dull gray meeting shining silver and for a long moment Ruby only looked back at him, her expression subtle but he could see pain behind her eyes.

"It went… okay." She blinked, her heart felt heavy. In her mind, Ruby was helpless as those scenes replayed over and over again. ' _Yang in Mountain Glenn on the train, my father at my table and Qrow in battle… each one was different but even knowing what I have done, none of them, not one turned me in._

"Okay is better than blowing our entire operation or jail." He shrugged. "You don't seem thrilled though so I'm guess there's more to it than just 'okay'"

"It's just… I have two lives, the old me, and the me I am now. The old me had a family that loved her and she fought for good. The me that I am now, she's different than the old me. I'm stronger, I'm more confident, I do bad things that hurt people but I don't have any regrets. Ever since Mountain Glenn, the two mes are getting closer together and I can't really keep my new life separate from old one anymore." Her expression grew more and more painful, things she'd been needing to say but had no one to say them too were all flooding out now and Mercury just lay beside her, patiently listening.

"So how do you feel about your old life? What would you do if you got your memories back?" Ruby knew it was a question she was bound to get, a question she had asked herself many times before… still, there was no suspicion or accusation in Mercury's voice, just curiosity and somehow, that made her feel safe.

"I don't know." The simple answer surprised Mercury but still he didn't speak as he patiently waited for her to finish.

"I'd like to think that it wouldn't change who I am now. I'd like to think it wouldn't change how I feel about Roman or Neo or Emerald or… you." Her gaze lowered and her free hand fiddled with a blade of grass in front of her face. "I'd like to think these things but from what I've seen, the family I left behind, they care about me a lot, if I got my memories back, I'd probably also get back the love I have for them. I'm not sure who I'd be then."

"It's funny you know?" A weak laugh escaped her lips as she brought her eyes back to him, a light smile warming her face. "I met my real dad and my real sister, and they both showed me so much love… but I didn't feel that towards them. To me, the closest thing I've ever had to a father is Roman, and Neo is like a big sister and I love them both. I love them more than my real family."

"Eh, real family is overrated." Mercury shrugged. "I care more about you and Emerald than I cared about my dad. He was an abusive drunk and I'm glad I put him the ground. If you ask me, blood doesn't make someone family, actions do. I've got no feelings, nothing for my old man, I think how you feel about someone is what makes them family… I guess."

"Mercury…" Ruby's eyes grew wide. _He's right. Yang… she's just someone who's come into my life. She may be my sister but it was Neo's lap I cried into after I killed Tukson. The man Yang brought to me, he may be my father but it was Roman who gave me this life, he's the one who took me in when I had nothing, when I was nothing. It was Roman that saved me… and now, I'm going to save him._

"Thank you!" A bright beaming smile shined at Mercury. Under the intensity of her gratitude and happiness he couldn't help but look uncomfortably away.

"N-no problem." Even though he felt extremely awkward, he couldn't stop the small smile that formed from his lips.

"I hope I don't get my memories back though, that would make things way too complicated." Ruby giggled. "I like… this, with you and Emerald and Neo, and once I get Roman back, I'll have the life I chose, with the people I care about."

"What about your sister? Seems like you're getting pretty attached. What are you going to do about her?" With a soft breath her smile faded at his question.

"I honestly don't know. I've been willing to kill her before, if it came down to it I could do it again. I do like her, she's the only person who's accepted me, and despite knowing everything that I've done, she still protects me, even from her own family. If I'm being truthful, I kinda wish she would come over to our side." Ruby gave a bashful laugh and a wide grin.

"Yeah I wouldn't hold your breath." To her surprise, he smiled back at her. "She doesn't seem like the type to go to the dark side."

"Well, do I seem like the type who would go to the dark side?" She tilted her head as she smirked playfully at him.

"Okay, you got me there." He smiled a little more softly with a resigned shrug. "Still, you and your sister probably won't be teaming up any time soon."

"Oh well, I'll deal with whatever when it comes." With that she rolled back onto her side and looked up at the sky, birds flew above them and the branches of the tree that loomed overhead rocked gently with the pull of the wind. "Our match is coming up soon."

"Yep." Mercury still lay on his side facing her. As he looked at Ruby, the night they stared up at the stars came to the forefront of his mind. Laying the grass, staring up at the sky, things he'd never really thought he'd do, such simple things, but somehow, she made it something more.

"You sure you're ready? You did just come out of getting your ass handed to you."

"Yeah, I should be fine, my aura should be almost half recovered, that should be enough." The early autumn wind tugged a shedding leaf from the tree, her eyes followed it as it gently drifted down the the earth.

"Half huh? You think that's enough?" Begrudgingly he made himself roll onto his back, his head still turned to the girl resting only inches away. 'Never thought the ground would be so comfortable.'

"You've fought me first hand, even at half strength what do you think I could do?" Ruby rolled her head to face him with a smug, cocksure grin, her silver eye bright with excitement and wile.

"Didn't know you had a cocky side." Mercury let out a huff of laughter, grinning back at her finding her confidence more than a little contagious.

"You should get to know me, I bet there's a lot that'd surprise you." Ruby hummed, her playful smile softening as she looked into his eyes.

"Oh yeah?" Mercury's words barely came out a quiet mutter that caught on the breeze as he turned his head back to the sky above. _Maybe I will…_

"Um, could you maybe not tell Cinder about the fight? I don't want her to pull me from our match." Ruby asked bashfully, a light blush tinting her cheeks.

"Keeping secrets from Cinder is a bad plan for your long term health." He sighed, putting one leg atop the other. "But I guess I could keep it to myself."

"Thanks! You're the best!" She giggled, scooting herself just a little closer to him.

"Just don't cost us the match alright?" He quickly turned his head away from her, he could feel his cheeks heating up and a weird, warm feeling spreading through his chest… a feeling that intensified like gasoline had been poured on it as he felt her press gently against his side, her head coming to rest at his shoulder.

"I won't." She let out a soft, content sigh as they lay together in the grass. After a long moment, Mercury's body relaxed her her warmth reached him and gingerly, he pressed himself just a little closer against her… and neither could help but smile.


	37. Round Two

"Thanks again for covering for me with Cinder." Ruby looked up to her teammate as they walked down the hall of the stadium to the battlefield, her weapon weighing heavily at her still sore back from her bout with Qrow.

"Yeah, I don't think she completely bought it but she didn't say anything so I guess it doesn't matter." Mercury shrugged.

The could hear the crowd roaring with excitement as the match drew nearer and nearer. The air was electric with anticipation their collective thundering cheers could be felt through the floor. Even Ruby who still felt the fatigue of her earlier battle felt renewed energy and enthusiasm and she couldn't help but grin.

"So, you remember the attack combinations we went over?" She turned to her teammate who seemed much more relaxed.

"I do, but do you really think it's a good idea to be yelling our attack patterns out? Also, who put you in charge?" He raised his eyebrow at her, his hands folded behind his head as they walked.

"I mean, I did kinda kick your butt, and I came up with really cool names for our attacks so the least you could do is humor me!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at him.

"Fine, whatever. Let's just get this over with, but we aren't using the Ruby Meteor or whatever you called it, got it?" The bright light from the arena shined brightly at the end of the hall, it was almost time.

"We probably won't have to use it." She shrugged as they stepped out from the hallway.

Around them sat more spectators than Ruby could even begin to count! Thousands? Tens of Thousands? She looked around in wonder and just a small amount of fear at the immense number of eyes that fell on her and her teammate. It wasn't like the first round where her whole team was by her side. It was just her and Mercury… and their opponents.

"Ruby and Mercury of Haven vs Coco and Yatsuhashi of Beacon!" The announcer declared as the combatants met in the center of the arena.

Ruby and Mercury faced off against a very large guy with an equally imposing sword, and a smaller girl with a dark brown hair topped with a beret, and held at her side was a black handbag with copper accents.

As the terrain began to shift around them as dictated by the hologram roulette screens on the perimeter of the battlefield the fighters readied themselves. In a fluid motion Ruby pulled her scythe from her back, her red and black cape flowing behind her as it unfurled into its deadly blade.

"That's a cute outfit kid, but the cape is a bit much." Coco lowered her sunglasses at as she gawked at Ruby.

"Um, thanks, I mean, I thought the cape looked kinda cool." Ruby's chest felt tight as she quickly averted her eyes. _Please let the fight start so I can let my scythe do the talking!_

"Three, two, one… Begin!" The bell sounded and the battle began.

"Quicksilver!" Ruby shouted and in a burst of rose petals she was gone with Mercury following in her wake and they darted towards their opponents!

There was no time, nothing their opponents could do, the sheer speed and ferocity of their opponent's blitzkrieg left them no opportunity to counter. Before they knew it, they were surrounded. Ruby's scythe slashed at Coco, pushing her back while immediately behind her Mercury jumped at Yatsuhashi, both boots landing on his sword before he let out a blast from both his boots and launched into a backflip. The duo from beacon were surrounded in the blink of an eye!

Ruby had thrived on fighting opponents that by all rights should be stronger than her, thanks to Neo's training and the skills her body kept from her old life, she was a monster in combat… on the defensive, relying on surprise and patience to win most fights. Now, in this battle, with her aura at only half capacity, she had to end this quickly. _No time to waste!_

Her scythe ignited in a conflagration, the intense heat from the fire made the girl before her back up even more, her back pressed against her teammate's who Mercury was keeping at bay with powerful kicks and lithe evasions.

Ruby lashed with powerful, fire augmented slashed, Coco could barely counter the slashes, though Ruby had to admit that little bag packed a hell of a punch! A smug grin formed from her lips as she attacked fast and faster, the butt of her scythe slamming into her side as she tried to block the incoming blade.

"Nope!" Ruby's tone was bubbly and innocent as she kicked Coco's wrist with the back of her heel, intercepting the only means she had to block as Inferno Crescent's burning blade aimed right between Coco and Yatsuhashi!

"Rose Explosion!" The instant Ruby called out Mercury backflipped out of the way of another devastating slash of Yatsuhashi's sword and the instant his feet touched the ground his boots loosed a powerful blast that fractured the ground beneath him, launching him back up.

It all happened in a blur, Ruby's scythe wedged between them, the fire searing their backs, forcing them further apart as Ruby and Mercury both jumped up kicking both their feet out and then…

 **Fwoooosh!**

Ruby's scythe exploded in massive ball of flames that sent the Coco and Yatsuhashi flying right into the powerful kicks of Ruby and Mercury, the air and ground trembled from the sheer force of all the energy put out in opposing directions.

 **Bang!**

Mercury's boots let out another blast point blank against his large opponent's chest as Ruby kicked back as hard as she could against Coco. The force of the kicks sent the two flying back to where they were, the ground scorched beneath the as Ruby sprung back, swinging her scythe behind her and digging the length of the blade into the ground to stop her fall.

 _I- I underestimated just how much damage I took from Qrow, my aura draining so fast, just that impact alone… and that's not all, my body is really weak too. I have to end this now, I don't have a choice!_ She gritted her teeth as she pulled her scythe back behind her.

"Mercury! Ruby Meteor, now!"

"Wha-" Before he could even respond Ruby turned into a red blur coming straight at him. With only a moment's hesitation he fell on his back and pulled his legs in and braced himself as Ruby appeared in front of him.

"This is a bad idea!" Mercury warned, but Ruby didn't seem to hear him as she flipped back, her feet landing on his and her scythe's blade hovering just above the ground only feet away from his head. Ruby narrowed her eyes at her still dazed but slowly recovering opponents as she crouched onto his legs.

"Now!" At once Mercury thrust his legs out as hard as he could, her boots blasting against Ruby's as her scythe let out an explosion of fire.

The air was ripped apart as Ruby launched from Mercury's legs, the earth beneath him shattering from the force of her take off as smoldering rose petals fell around him.

Ruby was now a spinning ball of fire barreling down at her opponents! Yatsuhashi barely had time to jump in the way, his sword held out to catch the impact… but it didn't matter. The instant Ruby hit them a massive fireball exploded out, the shockwave making the whole arena tremble. The force of her impact sent the two second years from Beacon flying out of the ring, all their aura completely drained.

"Ruby!" Mercury swung his legs down and got back up on his feet, his ears were ringing from the explosion and his aura cut in half just from her takeoff from his feet. As he scanned the otherwise vacant battlefield he saw now sign of his partner… until he looked up.

Ruby was falling… fast! Her scythe slid of out her hand and she did nothing to orient her body for the fall, their attack leaving her unconscious and helplessly plummeting to the hard ground below. Mercury ran as fast as he could to where she would fall and held out his arms and once more, braced himself for the impact.

The ground shook as Ruby handed in his arms, her clothes were singed and she was covered in scrapes and debris. Her small body was limp and bangs draped over her shut eyes as he held her.

"Ruby, come on wake up." He could barely suppress the growing dread the filled his chest as he looked down at her, shaking her gently. "Wake up already Ruby… come on, come on!"

"M-Mercury…" She choked before going into a violent coughing fit. Slowly her bleary eyes fluttered open as she looked up at him. "It's hard to breath when you're on fire."

"Yeah, I could have told you that, in fact I did. It's why I said that was a bad idea." He laughed, holding back a sigh of relief as he gently and carefully put her down on her feet while helping her support herself with his arm around her back.

"Please tell me we won at least, it'd be really embarrassing if I knocked myself out for nothing." Shakily she dusted herself off as she looked around the decimated battlefield.

"Yeah, we won. Probably could have done it without blowing yourself up, but still, at least it was a quick match." He grinned.

The crowd which had been stunned into silence finally erupted into almost deafening thunderous applause and cheering.

"And with overwhelming speed and firepower Ruby and Mercury win in a stunning but reckless display of force and move on to the next round!"

"I think I need to nap for the next week." Ruby groaned as she limped to the exit supported by her teammate.

* * *

"Uhg I'm so bored!" Thistle exclaimed as she barged into her dorm room Blake looking briefly up from her book before returning to reading. Thistle had expect not to be coming back from watching the latest match so soon... _If you could even call it that!_

Listlessly she ambled over to her bed and collapsed with a long, heavy sigh as she stared up at the ceiling. _Well, like I though, Ruby won, and after her big fight in the courtyard earlier too. Coco and Yatsuhashi didn't stand a chance, but I didn't expect them to end it so fast, they're a formidable team. Ruby will probably be the one moving on to the finals and me and Yang's match will be coming up soon so one of us will probably be fighting Ruby in the end… but who will it be?_

 _I probably shouldn't get so focused on it right now… I hate feeling like this, watching that match made me feel restless and lethargic at the same time. I need a fight to get my head back on._ Limply she let her head roll to the side. Their dorm was empty… except for her faunus teammate.

"Hey Blake," Thistle's voice made her look up from her book, her amber eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Why don't you and I hit the training room for a sparring match?" Thistle smiled eagerly.

"No." Blake said, returning her eyes to her book.

"Oh come on, I'm bored and I need to stay sharp for the doubles round!" Thistle was practically pleading at this point.

"Don't you have a girlfriend you usually spar with?" Blake looked up again, looking even more annoyed.

"Yeah but she's spending time with her sister, they haven't seen each other for a while and I figure they want some alone time together." Thistle put her arms beneath her head, feeling just a little too lazy to grab her pillow.

"That's thoughtful of you, giving them space." Her eyes softened and a barely existent smile formed from her lips as she lowered her book slightly.

"Yeah but now I've got nothing to do!" Thistle shrugged in exasperation. "Well, if you don't want to spar with me do you at least know where Yang is? She should be getting warmed up too since she's fighting with me."

"Nope." Blake said simply, bringing her book back over her face as she leaned against the wall at the head of her bed.

The room was silent, for several minutes neither spoke, and the mounting quiet only made Thistle feel uncomfortable. She fidgeting in her bed, repositioning herself as much as possible without really moving from where she had plopped herself down. The only sound that filled the room aside from the ambient noises that came from outside the room, was the occasional sound of Blake turning a page…

"You know, you're easily one of the hardest people to talk to I've ever known."

"Mh-Hm."


	38. Foreboding

"So she's still asleep huh?" Emerald walked into their dorm room. Ruby was passed out on her bed, blankets covered up to just above her chest, one arm was raised up, her hand resting on her pillow beside her head. She looked very peaceful and comfortable as she slept. Beside her sitting on his bed, Mercury flipped through the pages of a comic book looking pretty bored.

"Well, that's what happens when you blow yourself up. She's going to be out for a while." He shrugged as he closed his comic, dog earring one of the pages to save his place before carelessly dropping it onto his bed.

"Yeah, that might do it… especially since she had a knock down drag out with a Huntsman before her match." She smirked as she walked over to Ruby, gently brushing her red tipped bangs from the sleeping girl's face without making her stir from her slumber.

"So you know about that." He figured. With the state the courtyard had been in, the sounds of explosions and the small bits of story he got out of Yang, he knew word would get around quickly.

"Practically all of Beacon knows, including Cinder." Emerald turned to her teammate as she sat down on Ruby's bed, the small girl beside her still not stirring. Her smile faded and her expression grew stark, but her crimson eyes glimmered with just a hint of curiosity. "Pretty ballsy of you to cover for her with Cinder, why'd you do it?"

"You've seen what she could do, she's strong and she promised me that she could win, and she did." He said it so simply, but his shifting gaze only stoked Emerald's curiosity.

"You know you and I could have won that too, probably without either of us blowing up. So, why did you cover for her really? Cinder's letting you off easy, but only because you both won, but I'm not satisfied, I want to know why you did it." She crossed her legs and forward towards him.

"I knew she could win, that's all." Mercury knew she wouldn't stop pushing, that's what she did, when she wanted something, she usually got it.

"No, you're different around her, ever since she killed Tukson you've treated her specially." A devious and playful grin lit up her face as Mercury tried in vain to tune her out and simultaneously come up with excuses and rebuttals.

"Like the time you called her while she was at Mountain Glenn,"

"I just thought she needed to know about her sister."

"Or that time you went out to find her the night after her meeting with Ozpin and you two didn't come back until well after you should have, and both you and little Ruby here looked pretty happy."

"What of it?"

"Then there was this morning." She paused, feeling very amused by the sudden stiffening of his posture and the nervous expression that appeared just for a moment on his face before he forced it down. "You know, you could have picked a less conspicuous place to cuddle, though from what I heart it sounded really adorable."

"Why do you even care what I do? We won, that's all that matters." He shot her a warning glare, his tone stern and defensive, but still he kept his voice below the threshold of yelling so as not to wake the girl sound asleep behind Emerald.

"Hey as long as you get results it's none of my business." She shrugged her shoulders and her smile softened. Though Mercury looked more than a little dubious. _Then why do you keep asking?_

"Does Cinder know about… all of that?" Mercury felt a cold chill run down his spine. _Cinder only cares about results, Ruby and I have gotten results, so it shouldn't matter… whatever "it" is._

"I don't know, I mean, I don't think she does, or if she did she hasn't said anything. As long as it doesn't get in the way of our mission I doubt she'll care. I just thought I'd give you a hard time about it. I mean I have to admit I really didn't see this coming. What do see in her anyway?" She tilted her head slightly as she eagerly awaited his flustered and entertaining reaction.

"It's not like that…I mean I don't think it is… I don't know." He sighed, his expression dull neutral as he fell back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. _What is it with her? Whatever, once this mission is over and Ruby goes back with Torchwick I won't have to deal with this crap anymore._

"Oh geez, this can not end well. Looks like you might have it pretty bad for her. I feel sorry for you." With an exasperated sigh she slowly got herself up off the bed, careful to not wake Ruby as she got to her feet.

"Anyway, the real reason I came here was to tell you that you're moving on to the finals, and you'll probably be fighting Yang Xiao Long." At that Mercury sat himself up, his gaze drifting from Emerald to the sleeping girl beside her.

"Don't worry, Ruby is going to have her part to play in that match too, now all her cozying up to that blonde bimbo will pay off." Without another word she turned for the door, leaving Mercury staring at Ruby, his expression neutral but he couldn't help but feel worry gnawing at the back of his mind.

The door clicked at Emerald left the two of them alone and the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Ruby was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of what had just transpired.

* * *

"Good job out there." Weiss smiled proudly as her teammates joined her and Blake outside the floating stadium. The four girls walked and talked as they made their way to the fair grounds.

"That rollerskate girl made me look like an idiot!" Thistle growled, still holding on to the annoyance Neon had giving her.

"Hey don't sweat it, we won didn't we?" Yang grinned. _Still, I'm never going to a party with her._

"You both did well, now we only have the finals left." Blake smiled softly.

"And we're gonna win!" Yang pumped her fist enthusiastically, obviously hyped for the next round. Her chest was burning for more excitement after the intense battle she and Thistle had just won.

"The only question is, who's going to the finals?" Thistle chimed in, capturing everyone's attention and then, all eyes turned to Weiss.

"W-well… I think we should definitely send our strongest on to the last round." She knew that was obvious but the question then was; which one of them was the strongest? Weiss hummed as she rested her chin between her thumb and index finger.

 _Thistle and Yang are both undoubtedly strong. Thistle's use of her Semblance is masterful and she knows how to put most opponents off guard, I only discovered her weakness because we've been partners for so long, but Ruby found it very fast and there's a good chance she'll be the one moving on to the finals. Then there's Yang, she has offense and defense in spades but she has a tendency to lose her head sometimes and I'm not sure she could even fight Ruby after what happened on the train in Mountain Glenn._

"Well yeah, but the real question is who is going to get to fight Ruby?" Thistle glanced at her blonde teammate beside her. Yang stiffened, she knew this was coming, Ruby was the most powerful member of their team, between her speed and that scythe and her skill she would be extremely formidable against just about anyone.

"I want to fight her." To everyone's surprise, Yang volunteered, she expression soft and somber but her lavender eyes steady and brimming with conviction.

"Yang, you remember what happened last time…" Blake's worry bled through in her voice, though she didn't want to sound patronizing, she knew that this was a bad idea.

"I'm in agreement with Blake, I think Thistle should be our team's representative for the finals." Weiss tried her best to sound like a leader… _But a leader shouldn't be doubting their teammate's like this, should they?_

"Besides, I have a score to settle with her. I'm zero for two right now and I've been training like crazy to beat her, I don't want all that effort to go to waste!" Thistle folded her arms over her chest and turned away from Yang. _She's beaten me twice. She's strong and fast, but I've run our fights over and over again in my head ever since that night at the docks, Yang hasn't even really fought her. If anyone stands a chance, it's me._

"She's my sister…" Yang's voice was little more than a soft whisper. The sudden shift in her tone, took everyone aback but still her conviction was unwavering as her fists balled at her sides.

"She's my sister, I'll be the one to fight her, and I'll win." She looked each and everyone one of her teammate's the eyes and they all faltered under her gaze. How could they argue? They'd spent their entire time a Beacon searching for Yang's sister and after everything they had been through, after everything Yang had learned about Ruby… there was no way they could deprive her of even this semblance of closure.

"Uhg! Fine, you can fight her, but just make sure you don't give up without a fight like last time!" Thistle huffed bitterly.

"I guess that's in then, if Thistle doesn't mind then I guess it's yours. Just don't underestimate her, she did nearly kill our entire team." Weiss frowned, she had a bad feeling welling up in her heart, but she ignored it.

"For now, why don't we go get something to eat with Team JNPR, since both our teams made it to the finals we should celebrate together." Blake spoke up, trying to ease the tension she felt between her team before it got out of hand. To her relief, it seemed to work.

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea." Weiss gave Blake a thankful smile.

"Yeah, I could go for some food after that crazy match." Thistle shrugged, a subtle grin taking the place of her bitterness. _Eh, I'll let Yang have this one, out of all of us Yang is the only one she hasn't seen fight up close and personal so that might just be enough._

"I'm sorry guys but I'll have to catch up with you later, I want to go check on Ruby, she was in pretty bad shape after her fight with Coco and Yatsuhashi." Yang had wanted to rush off to her sister's side but between what happened with Qrow and her own match, she had to put it aside.

"Alright, don't be too long though." Weiss felt a sense of unease working its way up through her, but she pushed it down, reminding herself that this was Beacon, not Mountain Glenn.

"Okay, I didn't want to stick around too long anyway, she's probably still recovering from her fight so I don't want to both her too much." Yang looked happy… but that only made Weiss worry more.

"If you're sure." Weiss gave her teammate one more fretful look before resigning. "We'll see you soon then."

With a smile and a nod Yang turned and began walking to the the visitors dorms. Weiss just couldn't shake the feeling that kept pushing its way back into her mind every time Yang spent time with her sister. She never quite seemed like herself afterwards, but what could they do?

 _She's letting herself get too attached, she trying to make things like they were before Ruby lost her memory. I'm worried that the closer she gets, the harder it's going to be when her sister leaves for Haven. Yang is opening herself up to a lot of hurt… and there's nothing I can do about it._

Weiss's eyes closed as she took a long, deep breath, the cool autumn air filling her lungs as she tried to force her stress away. _I hate feeling helpless when it comes to helping my team!_

Suddenly as warm, gentle touch shook her from her spiraling thoughts. Thistle stood beside her with a gentle smile as she wove her fingers between Weiss', their hands clasping together and as she looked into those pools of soft purple, she felt her stress retreating.

 _I guess, all we can do is be there for her when she needs us._

* * *

Mercury hadn't left the room since Ruby had passed out. After Emerald left him with what he needed to know for his next part in their mission, he'd been restless and part of him wanted to wake Ruby up, but he decided against it. Now all he could do was while away the time bouncing from his Scroll to his comics until he finally gave up with a loud, frustrated sigh.

 _Of course Emerald couldn't resist messing with me!_ He collapsed onto his bed, laying on his side facing Ruby. The gentle sound of her breathing filled the room, she looked peaceful and comfortable as she lay there. It'd been hours but her aura was greatly depleted and her body was physically exhausted. As he watched her sleep, he felt his own eyelids growing heavy, she was making a long nap seem really nice.

 _There's nothing like that between us… right?_ Slowly he felt himself losing in his battle against the encroaching sleepiness that was washing over him and as his eyes finally shut. He remembered how warm Ruby was, as they watched the stars or when they laid in the grass and in the absence of that warmth now... he felt an uncomfortable feeling in his chest, like it was something he was missing, but he brushed it aside. _It's nothing…_

 **Knock-knock-knock.**

Mercury's eyes shot open, his heart skipping a beat and without realizing it, his first instinct was to look to Ruby who seemed unbothered by the sudden noise coming from their door. As he swung his legs over his bed he gave a suspicious look at the towards the sound.

After a moment of hesitation he got up and walked briskly to the door, hoping to get to it before whoever was at the other side knocked again. He turned the doorknob and swung it open with an irritated look, half expecting it to be Emerald just messing with him… he was wrong.

"Hey, is Ruby here?" Yang asked, leaning forward slight as she scanned the room as best she could from the threshold.

"Yeah, she's sleeping." He narrowed his eyes at her. "You know, she's had a rough day, the alcoholic Huntsman you led straight to her that proceeded to kick her ass in the courtyard hours before her tournament match, and because she wasn't at full strength she resorted to blowing herself up to win."

For just a moment Yang almost lashed out at him. How dare he talk to her like that, Ruby was her sister! Then… the fire that ignited in her chest was instantly snuffed out but a wave of cold sorrow. _That's right, to Ruby, we're just friends now. This guy here, he may be a jerk but Ruby probably trusts him more than me… I can't be angry, and he's not wrong anyway. If I want to stay in Ruby's life I just have to make peace with that huh?_

"Look," She let go a long exhale, releasing the last heat of her anger into the air before looking back to him. "I just want to see her, I won't wake her up, I promise."

Mercury stared her down with a cool but warning expression as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against against the frame of the door. Yang waited in tense silence for what seemed like minutes, but her eyes stayed fixed on his… finally, he shrugged his shoulders and turned around, walking into the room and gesturing with his head for her to follow him. So she did, quietly closing the door behind her.

"Thank you." Yang spoke softly but Mercury didn't respond, not even acknowledging that she spoke at all as he sat himself at the foot of his bed closest to Ruby. His eyes followed her as she made her way to her sister.

Yang kneeled down on the floor in front of Ruby's bed. She looked okay, a small scrape on her cheek and a bruise on her arm, but otherwise she looked okay, her aura would heal her in time as it recovered. She hadn't been this close to Ruby in a long time... as she slept, she looked a lot like the sister she'd always known, but Yang knew that part of their life was over, they weren't sisters anymore, not in a way that really mattered. _Damn it… don't cry now._

"I'm sorry little sis, I'm sorry I let you end up like this." Carefully, Yang took Ruby's hand in her own, it was a small as ever, she could barely suppress the trembling that threatened to wake her, or the sobs that she forced from leaving her quivering lips. She could barely see now, the figure of her sister little more than a blur of pale white and black as tears pooled at the surface of her eyes. This may very well be the last time… for a lot of things between her and her little sister. The tournament would be over soon and then… she didn't really want to think about it. She held Ruby's hand, letting every detail her mind could gather ruminate within her. If this was the last time she'd see Ruby sleeping, the last time she'd get to hold her little sister's hand like she did when she was a kid, the last time she'd be there for her after a fight, then she didn't want to forget a thing.

 _I'm sorry I couldn't save you from everything that's happened since that night._

* * *

"Yang's not with you guys?" Jaune said looking at the present members of Team WYBT as they joined up at the fairgrounds. Thistle and Weiss held hands while Blake walked beside them, her eyes fixed on the particular stall they had eaten at after their first match of the tournament, no doubt thinking of the fish she had ordered last time.

"She went to go see Ruby." Weiss sounded less than pleased.

"That match was crazy!" Nora bounced excitedly.

"Yes, though I do feel bad for Team CFVY…" Pyrrha frowned. The second year team lost in what was perhaps one of the shortest rounds in the tournament's history.

"I think you can beat her Pyrrha!" Jaune sounded so certain Pyrrha couldn't help but feel a little more confident.

"Just don't underestimate her." Thistle's dark tone got their undivided attention. "We've all fought her before… she's not someone to take lightly. She's fast, both on her feet and how quickly she can learn from an opponent."

"Her fighting style is extremely unorthodox but that's what makes her an unpredictable fighter." Weiss chimed in.

"She's also very good at breaking the flow of her opponent's fighting style." Blake turned her attention from the food stand to the conversation. "That, combined with the factors that Weiss and Thistle have said make her extremely dangerous. If you go up against her, be on your guard."

"Well I'll just have to do my best!" Pyrrha's cheerful and positive nature shined through as brightly as ever.

"It may be best to take what we know about her and formulate some sort of strategy." Ren spoke up.

"Yang is our team's representative in the finals. Since it's randomized you may very well end up fighting Yang first. In any case all the fighters in the finals are going to be formidable, strategies might only be a distraction." Weiss posited, getting an agreeing nod from her girlfriend.

"That's true, I think it would be best to simply-" Pyrrha was brought to an abrupt stop as her Scroll began vibrating. Slow she reached into her pocket and pulled it out, unfurling it her eyes went wide.

"Pyrrha, what's wrong?" Jaune furrowed his brow.

"It's professor Ozpin."


	39. Fall and Rise: Part 1

Blearily, Ruby's tired eyes fluttered open. She felt sluggish and weak and just all around awful, but she could feel her aura had completely recovered from her back to back fights… but that didn't make her feel any less groggy. With a reluctant grumble she slowly sat up, her blankets falling from her chest as she rose.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty." A familiar, happy voice chimed from behind her.

"Emerald?" Ruby blinked, clearing her eyes as she turned to a mint hair girl sitting backwards in a chair beside her. She leaned forward towards Ruby, her chest pressed against the back of the chair and her head rested atop her arms perched at the height of the chair's backrest.

"Were you expecting someone else?" She giggled, but her implication went over Ruby's hazy head.

"How long have I been asleep?" Ruby rubbed her eyes with her balled up fists before her body compelled her into a long and extremely pleasing stretch, her arms reaching high into the air as she let out a great yawn.

"Long enough, the tournament's finals are about to start." Emerald leaned forward a little more, her smile softening. "You had us worried, I mean, it's great that you wrapped up the match so fast, but maybe next time do it without blowing yourself up."

"I'm sorry…" Ruby's head hung low, her dull gaze resting on the blanket in her lap as guilt welled up in her chest.

"Hey, it's not me you should apologize to. Mercury's the one who hasn't left your side the entire time you were out. I actually had to make him go out to eat something not even ten minutes ago." Emerald shrugged, shaking her head lightly.

"R-really?" Ruby looked to her teammate, her big, silver eyes wide and a tiny smile pulled at her lips as a new sensation began to replace the guilt in her chest.

"Yeah, it was pretty pathetic the way he was trying to play it off too, you should have seen it, it was hilarious!" Emerald barely suppressed a snort of laughter.

"Aw, I think it's sweet that he was worried about me." Still, Ruby couldn't help but laugh along with Emerald.

"Well, you can make it up to him by doing your part of our mission during the finals." The tone shifted so fast it could have given Ruby whiplash as Emerald's expression and voice darkened.

"W-what do you mean?" Ruby felt a deep sense of foreboding gnawing at the back of her mind.

"Mercury will be going on to the finals of the tournament… facing off against Yang Xiao Long." Her crimson eyes met Ruby's wide silver and she knew Ruby had instantly understood where this was going, and by the subtle hints of dread in her expression, Emerald could tell she wasn't thrilled.

"I see…" Ruby muttered, her gaze descending as she processed exactly what she knew was coming, what she had known had been coming since she arrived at Beacon.

"Just before she enters the arena, you need to have a talk with her. Do you understand Ruby?" Emerald felt an unexpected empathy for the girl and then… she felt proud as Ruby raised her head, her eyes burning with conviction as she gave a solid, affirming nod.

"I'll do whatever I have to… but first I have to know; why are we doing this?" Her unexpected question took Emerald aback, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

As she gained back her better senses her expression cooled as she stared Ruby down, but the girl before her was unwavering. Ruby had to know. Ever since she'd come to Beacon the thing that drove her was freeing Torchwick, but now that Yang her target she had to know what ambition of Cinder's she was fighting for. After a long moment, Emerald resigned with a sigh.

"Ruby… what's your favorite fairytale?" Ruby tilted her head and blinked at the seemingly very random question.

"Um, I don't really remember any." She smiled sheepishly, though in her heart she felt a pang of sadness and longing. There were very few things that bothered her about her amnesia, but not having a childhood to speak of was something that she didn't really like.

"Oh, right… well then, let me tell you your first fairytale. The story of the Seasons and the Four Maidens." Emerald smiled softly as she cleared her throat. This was never something she'd expected to do, telling someone a fairytale, but still… it felt strangely nice.

"Once upon a time, there was an old, recluse Wizard who lived alone, cut off society of ages he rarely left his run down cottage in the woods…"

As Emerald recited the tale she knew from heart she could help but feel happy at the glimmering wonder and enthrallment in Ruby's eyes. It's a story Emerald heard many times but telling it to someone who's never heard it before gave it a brand new charm, even for her as she told of the Maidens helping the old Wizard and how their caring and kindness brought him happiness and gave him a whole new outlook on life.

"To show his gratitude to them for opening his eyes to the good in his life and in the world, the wizard summoned up his immense magical powers and granted each of the Maidens power so that they may do even more good for the world and so, with the Wizard's gift, the Maidens left, promising to return to see their dear friend every single year… the end."

"That's a really beautiful story. I love how the Maidens helped him just by being themselves." Ruby's warm, soft smile made Emerald almost forget the whole reason she told that story.

"Well… what would you say if I told you it was true? That there really are the Maidens of Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall and that they can use real magic?" Emerald leaned forward with an expectant smirk, tilting the chair and bringing its front legs up as she did so.

"Like, magic without Dust or a Semblance?" Ruby's eyes widened.

"Exactly! You see, when a Maiden dies, the power doesn't die with her, it goes to the last woman that was on the mind of the previous maiden before she dies. Now, what if I told you Cinder, Mercury and I fought the Fall Maiden and Cinder stole some of her immense power?"

"I- I don't know what to say to that… but what does this have to do with Yang?" Ruby did her best to hide the concern in her voice, but it bled through, thankfully, Emerald carried on.

"Cinder could only steal half her power before we got interrupted by the Huntsman you fought. We think she's still alive and holding on to the last of her power, so we're going to find her and kill her, so Cinder can become the Fall maiden and by the end of the tournament… Beacon will fall, and Roman Torchwick will be freed." The darkness in her eyes and in her voice gave Ruby chills.

"So… what I have to do to Yang, it's going to help accomplish that?" She kept her gaze steady as she looked to Emerald.

"That's right." She gave a nod, her demeanor softening as she let the legs of the chair come to rest on the floor. "After this, there's no going back and a lot of people are going to get hurt. I won't sugar coat it, what we're doing is going to cause death and destruction and we're counting on you to do your part to make it happen."

"I see…" Ruby turned away from Emerald, a cold apprehension washed over her body as she hugged her knees to her chest, curling herself into a ball.

 _I still don't understand why it has to be Yang. I was willing to kill her before but now…_ Her mind flashed with memories of the moments she held fondly in her mind, the times with Yang, someone she truly considered a friend. _She's been there for me, despite everything. She protected me from her father and she would have taken on Qrow if he tried to take me by force after he beat me. All she cares about is being in my life. She does try to push me, she's been there for me, she understands that we're not really sisters anymore and yet she still loves me, even if it's just as a dear friend. So then… how can I justify doing this to her, when I don't even know exactly why I'm doing it. Will this really help free Roman?_

"Can I… have a minute?" Ruby's soft, desperate whimper was barely audible, but it was enough for Emerald. Without opening her eyes she could hear her teammate getting up off her chair, the sound of her steps came closer until she felt a warm, soft hand gently fall on her shoulder.

"Don't be too long, Mercury's match will be starting soon." Emerald went to pull away but as she turned towards the door, she stopped, her hand still on the smaller girl's shoulder, a sarcastic laugh escaped from her lips. _What am I doing? This isn't like me._

"Ruby, you just need to remember why you did all the terrible things you've done to this point. It's harder for you, you have a good heart. Honestly, I don't think you belong with us. Through everything, just remember what being nothing felt like, and remember who changed that for you. That will shield your heart." With that, Emerald's hand slid off of Ruby's shoulder, her fingers running down her arm until the warmth of her skin faded from her touch. Something lingering in her long since frozen heart was compelling her to not let go of the fragile, lost girl by her side… but she ignored it.

"I'll see you at the stadium." Taking a deep breath, Emerald steeled herself and walked to the door, forcing herself to not look back.

"Thank you." The soft, caring voice behind carried both pain and gratitude to her ears, Emerald could only imagine Ruby's face, her eyes glistening with tears as she struggled through something that Emerald herself couldn't even fully deal with. It was strange, but she felt a heart that she had made hard as steel and cold as ice warm when she was around Ruby. Even in the darkness, she brought a small flicker of light.

"No problem." Allowing herself a wistful smile, one that she would never let anyone see, she turned the handle of the door… and left Ruby alone with her thoughts.

 _I- I'm doing this for Roman and Neo… so we can be a family again._ Ruby shut her eyes tight and squeezed herself harder. _Yang, I have to do this._

* * *

The stadium roared with excitement and anticipation, it was the Vytal Festival Tournament's finals and Yang felt strong and relaxed. The combatants who had been selected to represent each winning team in the finals had been posted and her sister wasn't among them. Instead, Mercury was the one to represent her team. That made her stress go way down and her eagerness to fight go way up!

Yang strode down the hall leading to the arena with a confident swagger. _This is great, I don't even have to fight Ruby! Now there's nothing standing between me and winning this for the team!_

"Yang." A familiar but cold voice accompanied a strong breeze from behind her and a chill ran down her back.

"Ruby?" Yang turned around and there she was, a flurry of rose petals scattering around her as she stared at her with chilling silver eyes. Still, Yang smiled. "You scared me for a second, what's up? I have to get to the arena soon you know?"

"I just needed to tell you something, before the finals begin." Her tone was flat and soft, her boots barely made a sound as she walked up to her older sister, keeping her chilling, steady gaze locked on her.

"What's up?" An uncomfortable apprehension gnawed at her chest, but she ignored it, just smiling awkwardly at her sister in the dimly lit hallway.

"When this tournament is over, I'm going to Haven with my team." Ruby took another step closer and even as Yang's uneasy smile dissolved, she didn't relent. "Once I'm gone, I'm never coming back."

"What are you saying?" Her stomach felt tight and her heart was pounding in her chest. In her mind kept repeating over and over that her little sister couldn't possibly be saying what she was most afraid of.

"I'm saying that it's over. Now that I've finally faced all the ghosts of my past, it's time to put them behind me." Ruby too another step closer, and Yang retreated another step back, dread and despair obvious in her expression.

"You- you can't mean that… Ruby please, I just got you back."

"I'm cutting out my old life, and that means I'm cutting you out along with it."

"Why… why are you doing this?" Yang could feel tears pooling in her eyes as she looked to her sisters in disbelief.

"Because it's something that needs to be said, we'll be gone as soon as the tournament ends. Yang, you will never see me again."

"N-no… Please… don't say that." Yang's lavender eyes glistened as drops rolled down her cheeks, her fists balled tight at her sides. _No… not again, not like Mom, you can't just leave me! Please, please… not again. I don't want to lose anyone ever again. Why? Why do the people in my life just leave… what's wrong with me? I've always been there for you Ruby, since we were little, I've done everything I could to fill the void mom left us with. I love you… please… please don't go._

"Goodbye Yang."

"Ruby wait! I-"

… it was too late. In a burst of rose petals, Ruby vanished into a blur, leaving Yang alone, her arm outstretched, reaching for something that was there.

"Yang Xiao Long, please report the the arena immediately!" The announcer called out, his voice echoing throughout the stadium… but Yang barely heard him over the sound of her heart shattering like delicate crystal.

As the rose petals settled to the ground Yang's hand fell back to her side, her head low and her bangs obscuring her eyes. With a deep, trembling breath she wiped away her tears and turned around. Her body felt heavy as she entered the center stage and even with the roar of the crowd and the eyes of the world on her… she had never felt so utterly alone.

In that dark hallway littered with rose petals, a small, hooded girl stood facing the light that shined in from the arena. As she heard the announcer call out the next two combatants, her lips moved silently, mouthing the words she couldn't bear to say aloud.

 _I'm sorry._

* * *

"Aaaaaah!" Yang's belligerent battle cry filled the stadium. She swung her fists wildly at Mercury… it was sloppy, he easily evaded her careless attacks, but it didn't matter. She let the the fire that burned with brilliant rage within her overwhelm the pain and loneliness she felt in her heart.

 _Ruby, you can't leave me! I have to be there for you! I have to protect you! I can't trust this guy to take my place. Ever since we were little, I've been there for you! I've seen what happens when I fail to protect you… that night you went out to Vale, you smiled… you said you'd be back soon! I shouldn't have let you go alone!_ Her aura flared with the intensity of all the heartbreak and pain and guilt she felt and her eyes were seared a deadly crimson red and her raw power made the whole stadium quake!

She flung her arms behind her and loosed a powerful blast from each fist, launching herself forward in a reckless charge at Mercury. His smug smile didn't falter. He crouched down and a loud bang exploded from his boots, propelling him into a backflip moments before Yang's devastating punch would have annihilated his remaining aura.

 _Geez Ruby, I don't know what you said to her but it really got her riled up. Maybe a little too much._ Mercury brought one foot behind the other as he took a defensive stance.

Yang's teeth bit down so hard she was sure that were it not for her aura protecting her, her teeth would have shattered. She let the heat of rage consume her, it seemed like her vision was burring, everything else faded away except the target in front of her… and she would pour out all her rage onto him!

She jumped up, her Ember Celica shattering the ground behind her as she flew upward! _Ruby, you can't leave! You can't leave me like our moms! I won't lose any more of my family! Not you, not you Ruby!_

 _Bang!_

Her gauntlets fired behind her, Yang's intense glow trailed like a comet as she descended at immense speed. She reared her fist back and everything else; the sound of the crowd, the breaking of her heart, the tears that clouded her eyes… all of it was consumed by fury as she brought her fist forward like a hammer onto her opponent!

Mercury jumped back just in time but the sheer force behind her impact let loose a immense shock wave knocked him back! In the cloud of dust and debris, Yang rose up, her eyes burning into him as as he recoiled from the concussive blast she seized the moment!

He was helpless against the onslaught of blows, each one decimating his aura in rapid fire succession… and each one seeming exponentially more powerful than the last! With one last painful blow to his gut, he felt his aura fail as he flew back from the strike that sent him tumbling across the stadium floor.

 _Okay… that's going to leave a bruise or two._ Mercury's body quivered as forced himself up off the ground. The battle was lost, the bell rang announcing his opponent's victory as he staggered to his feet. In front of him Yang's back was turned. _Alright, this is it. I hope she doesn't take it too far, I kinda like my face._

He took a deep breath and walked casually and amiably up to her. Suddenly she turned to face him, her eyes burned with Rage. Mercury tried his best not to smirk as her aura flared and and then…

 **Bang!**

The stadium fell silent for a moment… before cries of horror and disbelief rang out from all directions. Mercury fell to the floor, clutching his now mutilated leg as he grimaced in pain. Yang stepped forward, her fist reared back aimed right at his face. _Emerald… you may have overdone it… whatever you did._

"Gah! M-my leg! Please… don't!" Mercury begged… but Yang's gauntlet clicked another round into place as she readied to fire another devastating shot.

"Yang Xiao Long put your weapon down immediately!" Security rushed her, their guns aimed and ready as they surrounded the now very confused looking girl.

"Mercury!" Ruby's voice came as a desperate cry. Yang felt a rush of air followed closely by a flurry of rose petals as she dashed to her teammate's side. Gently she put her arm behind her shoulders, her face pale with horror as she looked down at his leg.

"Ruby… he- he attacked me, I had no choice!" Yang's eyes blinked to soft lavender as a girl with mint green hair and tan skin ran to his other side.

"Why would she do that?!" Mercury cried looking back and forth to the two girls at his sides.

"Is this because I said I'm leaving with him?" Ruby's voice was terrifyingly cold and even as she stood up and stepped between Mercury and his assailant.

"What?! No, Ruby please, he attacked me!" Tears pooled in her eyes as Ruby glared at her with unmistakable disappointment and rage.

"Then explain that!" Ruby pointed up at the giant replay screen that hung above the arena.

Yang turned, her confusion turning to terror as she watched herself attack Mercury completely unprovoked, shooting him in the leg without remorse or hesitation and readying to attack again before the guards stopped her. _No… that's not possible… he attacked me… I saw it!_

"So, this is the kind of person my big sister is? Someone who attacks my teammate because she didn't get her way? I'm making the right choice… I never want to see you again!" Ruby's malice and hatred chilled Yang to the bone.

Trembling with rage, Ruby turned from her sister and walked to her injured teammate just as the paramedics were arriving on the scene. Her head hung low, her red tipped bangs obscuring her eyes from sight so no one could see the tears that glistened at their surface as she followed Emerald and Mercury to the ambulance. _I'm sorry Yang… I'm so sorry._


	40. Fall and Rise: Part 2

"Looks like it worked." Mercury said absently, sitting with his leg propped up on a table as he tightened the screw near his prosthetic knee before shutting off the hologram TV. Beside him Emerald stood, her arms folded over her chest and her attention elsewhere as she look to a stack of metal shipping containers that divided the warehouse they were hiding out in.

The people were upset and distressed over Yang's display of wanton violence against Mercury and because of all the negativity, Grimm attacks have been increasing. Everything had gone according to plan… mostly.

"So…" Mercury spoke, his eyes nervously averted from his teammate beside him. "How is she?"

"I think it was really hard on her, she's still sulking on the other side of those crates." Emerald had an amount of worry in her voice that Mercury was completely unaccustomed to… but he understood, when it came to Ruby.

"I see…" He sighed, dropping the screwdriver onto the table as he brought his leg down. It was a little stiff, still needing minor calibrations, but it was good enough for now.

"You should go talk to her." Emerald frowned as she looked down at him. _There's nothing I can do for her now, but I know he can_ help.

"Why me?" He look down at his metal foot, slowly he raised it up and down, the damage from the point blank blast seemed to have been minimal.

"Oh come on, even you can't be that clueless." She narrowed her eyes as she sat down on the table beside him. "Are you being intentionally dense or are you really that out of touch with what's going on between you two?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mercury huffed bitterly. _There's nothing between us… how could there be?_

"Alright, so it's intentional." She shrugged. "Either way you need suck it up and talk to her."

"You really think I'm the best person to talk to her? Do I look like a shrink?" With a deep breath he leaned back in his chair and met Emerald's eyes.

"Oh definitely not. You're probably the worst person for her to talk to, you're terrible at this sort of thing." She laughed, much to his annoyance. "Still, I know you're the person she's waiting for, so don't keep her waiting too long just because you're clueless and stubborn."

The sudden sound of heels clicking against the cement floor stole their attention as Cinder walked in. Both Emerald and Mercury dropped the conversation as though it had never happened and acted as naturally as they could as Cinder came to a stop before them.

"That went extremely well. Both Ruby and Mercury played their parts exceptionally, our little lead actress is quite talented." Cinder grinned, looking extremely amused.

"So what now?" Mercury asked, dreading the answer he knew would come.

"Now, you lay low, it would be problematic if anyone was to see you walking around." Cinder looked to Emerald who wore her own devious little smirk. "You're coming with me to ensure the next matched goes equally well."

"What about Ruby?" Emerald could barely hold back a snicker at her partner's expense as he shot her a very unhappy glare.

"Ruby has done her part, she can keep Mercury company until it's time to free Roman." She turned away and began walking to the exit with Emerald following behind her.

"You two have fun!" Emerald giggled in a singsong voice before following Cinder out, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind them as they left Mercury and Ruby alone.

"Lovely…" An exasperated groan rumbled from his throat as he rubbed his hand over his face. _Why can't Emerald just leave this alone? What the hell am I supposed to say? "I'm sorry betraying your sister is making you sad."? How the hell is that supposed to help? Why the heck does it have to be me? I'm terrible at this!_

Slowly he got to his feet, his metal legs feeling a lot heavier than usual as he walked over to where Emerald said Ruby was sulking. _What does Emerald know anyway? Like she's ever had a boyfriend, no one could put up with her long enough to get attached… the same could be said for me. She's definitely misreading this whole thing. Ruby doesn't… like me, right? How could she? I mean, I don't like her like that…_

"Hey." Mercury stood leaning against a shipping container, a small girl cloaked in red and black sat atop a crate, her feet hovering just inches above the floor as she looked down dismally into her lap. Slowly her head rose until their eyes met, her expression brightening just little as she saw up and at that… Mercury smiled just a little _. I'm screwed aren't I?_

"Hey Mercury, I guess Emerald left with Cinder already?" Ruby's legs swung gently back and forth, the heels of her boots bumping against the crate she sat atop.

"Yep, I'm supposed to lay low until this is all over." He took a deep, steadying breath before he forced himself to join her. Nervously he sat down beside Ruby, his metal feet clanging against the metal box they shared as he stared at the wall of crates in front of him, taking to reading their individual labels instead of looking at the girl less than an arm's length away from him.

"I guess it's just us then, until the final match…" Now even Ruby sounded awkward and did nothing good for Mercury's nerves.

"So… how are you holding up?" Mercury finally smashed the pretense, decided to jump straight into the heart of the problem.

"I'm alright," She let go a soft, tired breath, her eyes fixed forward on the wall of cargo containers in front of them as she spoke. "I just didn't think it would hurt this much. I'm not used to feeling guilty."

"Yeah, me either." He put his arms up, clasping his hands behind his head. _Is that what I'm supposed to say? Emerald was right, I'm the worst person for this kinda thing._

"You did what you had to, it's for our mission, for your mission to save Torchwick. She was just a means to an end, that how you've got to see this. Don't make it so personal." _Okay, that probably wasn't the right thing to say either. I'm starting to wish they would have let Yang take my head off._

"A means to an end?" Ruby blinked, her hands gently held together in her lap. "Roman… the most important thing to me is getting him free and being a family with him and Neo again. I know that what I did to Yang was to help make that happen but still… I care about her too. The people I care for are pulling me in different directions and I'm not sure what to do. I think that's what really bothering me."

"What do you-"

Before he could get the last word out a blur of black and red fell briefly in front of his eyes as Ruby lay herself down, her head coming to rest gently on his metal legs. Her warm cheek pressed against cool, hard steel as she adjusted her body until as was as comfortable as she could be. Mercury looked down at her in stunned silence, his hands held in mid air above her having no idea what to do with them or the girl whose head rested between his legs.

"I used to know what forward meant…" Ruby's voice was soft, but so heavy with doubt and sadness it made Mercury's heart ache.

"Forward meant being with Roman and Neo, being by their side and protecting them. Now, I don't know. I care for so many people, I care about Yang, I care about Neo and Roman, I care about Cinder and Mercury… I care about you." She pressed herself a little closer to him as she pulled herself into a ball. "Forward… I don't know what that means anymore. Yang is pulling me to her, to Beacon and her team. Roman is pulling me back to him and Neo. And you, I want to be with you and Emerald and Cinder. The path forward isn't so simple anymore."

"That also means you get to chose which path you want to follow." Even through his prosthetic legs he could feel her stiffen and turn to look up at him, his gaze fixed forward, at something far in the distance. "When you have nothing… you take what you can get. You don't have nothing anymore, so you have a choice."

"Mercury…" Ruby turned her body, her eyes wide from epiphany looked up at him from his lap. She felt his words resonate within her and somehow it made so much sense. _Freedom is a scary thing… it's a burden but it also means I can decide where I really want to be._

"Hey, sit up." His voice was cold and commanding, his head turned away from her. In the dim light Ruby couldn't see it, but a soft blush tinted his cheeks.

"Oh, okay…" Ruby sighed, her heart felt heavy as she slowly rose. _Did I do something wrong? Did I go too far? I thought… I thought we-_

Her brain came to a grinding halt as her chest filled with heat. She felt an arm easing her while another slid under her legs. As though she weighed little more than a feather Ruby felt herself being lifted until she was brought to rest atop Mercury's lap, her head resting against his chest, his arm supporting her back while his other rested behind her knees. The heat the flared in her chest seemed to pool in her cheeks as he held her close.

"My legs probably we're very comfortable." He murmured as he brought his arm wrapped around her back pulled her a little tighter, his hand gentle coming to rest around her arm. He was amazed at how small she felt… and how warm she was.

"T-they were fine." Ruby's mind felt fried by the fire the flowed through her entire body. She could hear his heart racing as her ear pressed against his chest.

The two sat there in the dimly lit room and after a minute passed and the roaring fire turned into a pleasant warmth, a small, content smile formed from Ruby's lips and her body relaxed in his arms. Slowly she crossed one arm over her chest and placed her hand over his that held her up and soon, he too relaxed, resting his chin atop her soft hair and he too couldn't help but close his eyes… and smile.

 _Yeah… nothing between us._ A small huff of laughter escaped him as he held Ruby, her soft warm hand resting on his and the gentle rhythm of her breaths moving her body ever so slightly against him. _I'm never tell Emerald about this, I'd never hear the end of it._

"Mercury…" Ruby's soft voice hummed, breaking the blissful silence. She felt his chin press down against the top of her head and for a moment she felt his grip on her loosen… thankfully he pulled her back again.

"What's up?"

"When this is over… I want to go with Neo and Roman." She felt a strange pain bit into her heart as she said it, she didn't want to lose this, but she belonged with Roman.

"I figured… and I'm going to go with Emerald and Cinder." He gave a soft, embittered laugh. _Damn it, what is this girl doing to me? Never thought someone would make me feel bad about going with Cinder… or anything for that matter._

"We'll still be on the same side… we'll just be… apart." Her hand tightened around his as she pressed her face lightly against his chest.

"What are we anyway? I mean… I've been telling myself it's nothing but…" Ruby felt his chin leave the top of her head.

"I- I don't know…" She raised her head and their eyes met, she felt her heart beating as though she were in the middle of a fierce battle. Slowly she raised her head up, their eyes never once looking away from each other as they draw closer, she could feels his warm breath, their lips only inches apart...

 _ **Tap-tap-tap!**_

"Eek!" Ruby squealed, her head whipping around to see a familiar, small woman pink and brown eyes in a paramedic's uniform, her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her one foot against the ground as she leaned against a cargo crate… glaring at Mercury.

"Neo!" Ruby jumped from his lap and ran to her before throwing her arms around the smaller woman and pulling her into a tight hug. For a moment Neo looked taken aback, but a warm, soft smile brightened her face as she reciprocated, holding Ruby tight.

"I haven't seen you since our first match of the tournament! I know Cinder told you to lay low but I've missed you!" Ruby pulled away, keeping her hands on Neo's shoulder as she stepped directly between her big sister and her… and Mercury. "Did you see my match in the doubles round! I kicked butt, I mean, I know I kinda blew myself up but still that match only lasted like thirty seconds isn't that incredible!"

Ruby's rapidfire speaking left Neo reeling for a moment as she tried to make sense of what she was saying and she she had walked in on only moments before. Still… she smiled, she couldn't help but feel happier knowing Ruby was safe. Neo missed her energy and warmth… it was good to have it back.

"I've gotten so much stronger too! After all this is over I have to show you!" Ruby put her arm around Neo's back, ushering her to walk with her away from the guy she was about to kiss. As they turned around Ruby looked back to a very confused and worried looking Mercury with an apologetic smile, mouthing _"I'm sorry"_ silently to him.

"Anyway I came up with this cool thing where I use my semblance while my scythe is on fire and it's really awesome! I mean, I can't breath while I'm doing it so it kinda sucks but once I fix that it'll be so cool!" Ruby pulled Neo along with her as she went on and on about everything that's happened since the two had last seen each other but while Ruby became enthralled by her own story Neo looked back, shooting a deadly defensive glare at Mercury before turning back to Ruby with a bright, innocent smile.

As they rounded the corner, Mercury finally had a moment to process… everything that had just happened. With a long, exhausted sigh he slumped back and turned his head to the ceiling. _Oh great, now both of Ruby's sisters hate me, and of course they're both crazy too._


	41. Fall and Rise: Part 3

"Unfortunately, It's my job to inform you that you are disqualified." Ironwood looked to the distraught team of students, his tone firm but compassionate as they stared back up at him from their beds.

"But he attacked me! I-"

"That's enough!" Ironwood silenced Yang with a glare. "It doesn't matter, people have already drawn their own conclusion and there must be consequences. This isn't up for debate." Closing his eyes he gave a long, deep sigh before doing an aboutface.

"I'm sorry." Without another word, the General took his leave, shutting the door softly behind him, the room was left with a deafening silence in his wake.

The team was… in bad shape since the incident. None of them quite knew what to make of what happened, and all of them had mixed feelings about it. Yang sat alone at on her bed, her head low and her gaze fixed on her lap as her three teammates sat on the bed across from her as they looked on helplessly at their distressed friend.

"I swear… he attacked me." None of them had heard Yang sound so broken since Ruby had arrived at Beacon, she sounded so fragile and hurt.

"Yang, was this because of Ruby?" Thistle's voice was soft, she couldn't bare to look Yang in the eyes, she didn't need to in order to imagine the pain and betrayal in them.

"Thistle…" Weiss's voice fell flat, she knew she couldn't reprimand her when all Thistle was doing was echoing the doubts in her own heart as well. Blake didn't utter a word, Weiss could only imagine that she felt the same as herself and Thistle.

"No! I swear! I saw him attack me!" Thistle flinched at the desperation and anguish in Yang's choked voice. "You have to believe me!"

"We saw the whole thing Yang… Mercury was just standing there and you shot him in the leg after you had already won the match." Thistle pulled her knees to her chest and hugged her legs, pulling herself into a ball.

"Please… I didn't do that." Yang leaned forward, her chest felt cold with dread and depression. How could her team think she'd do such a horrible thing… _Why won't they believe me…_

"You haven't answered me," Thistle looked to her, forcing herself to meet Yang's eyes, her heart aching from the desolate hopelessness in them, but still, she needed to know. With a deep breath she steeled her heart. "Does this have anything to do with Ruby? Mercury is her teammate, arguably he's closer to her than you are. So, did she have anything to do with this?"

"Yang, please, we're just trying to make sense of all this." Weiss feared a clash between Yang and Thistle and she did her best to defuse the situation before it escalated to that.

"He attacked me and I fired back in self defense." Yang's breath trembled, she felt like the whole world was crashing down around her… and her team didn't trust her.

"We want to believe you," Blake frowned, her gaze seeming to stare at something far in the distance. "This wouldn't be the first time I've seen someone change like this. I knew someone once, when I was in the White Fang, I trusted him and followed him but as time went on, he began to change. It wasn't sudden, but it was made up of little things that just compounded over time, first they were accidents, then self defense. In time, I finally realized the person I once knew was gone."

"Blake…" Tears pooled in her eyes. Blake of all people not trusting her… that was the devastating blow that pushed her over the edge.

"This isn't right…" Weiss' voice was barely a whisper, but in the quiet room everyone heard her. All eyes turned to their leader, her head low and her fists balled. _This isn't right, what kind of leader doubts her teammates like this. If I can't even have faith in Yang, how are the others expected to? She must feel so alone… we're terrible teammates._

"Yang," Weiss looked up, her cool blue eyes glistening as they met Yang's. "This isn't right, you've never given us any reason to think you'd do something like this, even with Ruby involved. It doesn't even make sense, she obviously cares about Mercury, you wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the relationship you've built back up with her just to hurt him. If you swear that he attacked you first, then I believe you."

Everyone was struck silent at Weiss' declaration. Yang's eyes were wide in stunned awe, the tears that pooled in her eyes had ceased and with her leader's trust and support… she felt the weight of the world she that seemed to be crashing down on top of her get so much lighter. She couldn't express just how much it meant to her so she just sat there, turning her gaze to her other two teammates who looked almost as taken aback as she was.

"You're right, it doesn't make sense." Thistle finally concluded after mulling her leader's words over in her mind. _It's true, it was obvious that hurting Mercury would only drive her and Ruby further apart. Yang wouldn't have done what she did unless she thought she had no choice._

"You're not him and you've never shown that you're capable of cruelty before." A soft, reassuring smile formed from Blake's lips. "You swear that he attacked you first and you regret having to do what you did… I'll believe you."

"I didn't have a choice, he attacked me… I swear." Yang's gaze was steady and her voice certain as she looked into her partner's amber eyes.

"Okay, then. I believe you." Blake smiled with an affirming nod.

"I believe you too, you wouldn't do anything to drive you and Ruby apart." Thistle asserted. "Whatever happened, you're not ruthless or stupid."

"Guys…" Yang smiled, completely overwhelmed with relief and gratitude and again tears shimmered in her eyes, but this time, it was out of pure happiness. "I think… I think I'm going to get some rest. It's been a long day."

"That's probably a good idea." Weiss nodded. As she stood, she gestured with her head for the rest of her team to follow her.

"Thank you." Yang couldn't behind to express how grateful she was, so her thanks was the best she could do. As her team left, Weiss gave her one last worried look before closing the door behind her.

* * *

"I still can't believe that happened." Thistle sighed as they stood in the hallway feeling collectively dismal.

"I can't either." Blake frowned. Her cat ears twitched beneath her bow just a moment before the door across the hall from their own creaked open and Jaune popped his head out.

"How is she?" His voice was heavy with worry and empathy as he opened his dorm's door revealing the rest of Team JNPR all looking to team WYBT with concern in their eyes.

"She's as good as she can be given the circumstances." Weiss hugged herself, the pressure of being the one tasked to hold everyone together was at its greatest when things were falling apart. _I just wish there was more I could do for her._

"Apparently Mercury and his team went back to Haven to be with his family. Whether that includes Ruby… well, we haven't seen her since she got on that ambulance with him. I think that's making this a lot harder on Yang." Thistle shook her head lightly, her gaze fallen to the floor recalling Ruby's last words with her sister.

"If there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask." Ren offered.

"Just kick ass in your match for us Pyrrha." Thistle's soft purple eyes lit up for a moment… but immediately dulled as she remembered that her team would not be participating.

"It's what Yang would want." Weiss nodded in agreement.

"I- I'll do my best!" From her place on the bed Pyrrha forced a cheerful smile and an enthusiastic tone.

 _Pyrrha is off, she's been off since her meeting with Professor Ozpin._ She gave Pyrrha a long, thoughtful look before shaking it off. _If something is wrong her team would be the ones to help her. I'd rather not pry._

"We'll be sure to watch tonight incase you're picked." Thistle grinned but Pyrrha looked uncharacteristically low energy, somber even.

"Sorry, I think I've had enough fighting for one year." Blake's voice sounded exhausted at just the thought.

"Ditto." Weiss concurred as she turned to her faunus teammate. "Would you like to get some coffee?"

"I prefer tea." Blake smiled back. The two began walking down the halls, Thistle giving one more worried look to the ace of team JNPR before following behind them, waiting for the moment she heard their door close before she grabbed Weiss' hand and brought her to a stop.

"I think we should be there to support Pyrrha just in case. She hasn't been herself lately and she's our friend." Thistle's eyes stared deep and unyielding into Weiss'. For a moment, her leader was about to put her foot down, but the conviction she felt from her girlfriend inevitably won out.

"Fine." Weiss sighed, a small smile brightening her face as she shook her head. "Blake, I'll have to take a raincheck on the tea, I'm sorry."

"That's alright, I understand." Blake couldn't help a small laugh escaping her lips. "I'll see you both after the match."

"Why do I let you do this to me?" The leader took Thistle's hands into her own, intertwining their fingers as she took a step closer, a warm feeling permeating through her chest.

"Because you like me." With a playful grin she too stepped just a little closer, their eyes locked, Weiss' cheeks were tinted red as Thistle raised herself up slightly on her toes before her eyes closed and an instant later Weiss closed the gap, their lips met. Thistle's entire body felt warm and for just a moment, as she lost herself in the feel of their kiss, Weiss' lips were soft and she could feel every subtle movement they made against her own and her cool hands tightened around hers. In that short span of time that seemed to at once go on for a long time and yet not nearly long enough, Thistle felt the worries in her heart melt away.

"I think I'll just give you two some time to… um, yeah." Blake stammered uncomfortably as she turned and left them, though her two teammates barely heard her.

* * *

 _Why is this happening to me?_ Yang sat on her bed staring the window. Beneath her she watched at team JNPR, in their characteristically energetic way, left the dorms heading in the direction of the fairground.

 _Ruby thinks I'm a monster now!_ Her eyes squeezed shut and her fists balled around her blanket as rage consumed her. _I- I may never see her again. There's so much I wanted to tell her about our past, there's so much I wanted to do with her. We were finally getting close again… what the hell happened?! Why did this have to happen! I may have lost Ruby all over again!_

"Whoa, cool it there firecracker." A familiar voice called from behind her.

"Qrow!?" Yang spun around, she didn't even realize it but her Semblance had responded to her rage. By her door, leaning casually against the wall with his arms folded in front of him was her uncle. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why you did it." He tilted his head slightly, keeping his eyes fixed on her.

"You know why." She narrowed her gaze, her tone sharp and defensive.

"All I know is that you attacked a helpless kid. So either you're lying or you're crazy." His arms fell to his sides and his smirk softened as he walked up to his niece. "Was this about Ruby?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?!" Yang snapped, she could feel that dull, cold ache in her heart gnawing at her again at just the mention of her name.

"Because sometimes we do things that don't make sense for the people we love." His voice was wistful as he looked down at her.

"I know Ruby cares about Mercury, hurting him would only make her hate me. I'd never do that if I had a choice." Yang's body quivered as she forced back the near overwhelming urge to give in to the tears that she could feel welling up in her eyes.

"Qrow… she said she's leaving to Haven." She didn't want him to see her cry so she buried her face in her hands as she sobs came through. "Ruby said she was cutting out her old life… including me. I- I might never see her again. I didn't tell my team… how could I? They would all think I did it because I had nothing else to lose!"

"Well, that's a fair conclusion to draw." Qrow shrugged.

"It's not true!" Yang cried desperately as she whipped her up to look at him, her lilac eyes glistened with tears. "He attacked me! I didn't have a choice!"

"I believe that you believe that." He sighed, pulling his flask from his belt before unscrewing the cap and taking a few gulps.

"I don't care anymore." Yang huffed, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging herself tight. "Ruby's leaving me… everyone leaves me. First mom and now my little sister. For a second, I thought I had found my mom, back in Mountain Glenn, I thought she appeared and saved me and then she was just gone. Maybe I am crazy."

"You're not crazy, that was really her." Qrow admitted with a heavy sigh as he turned to the window.

"Wait, are you serious?!" Yang's eyes grew wide and her heart sped up as she awaited his response.

"My sister Raven have kept in touch over the years, got a tip from her on my last mission. That's when she told me to give you a message." Qrow turned his head, looking Yang in the eyes as he delivered the message from her mother. "She said that she saved you once, but not to expect that kindness again. My sister has some views on life and family that I don't exactly agree with, but that's how I know she means it, and you really shouldn't expect her to come to your rescue a second time."

"I- I see…" Yang felt overwhelmed, she wasn't sure what to try to process first. What happened in her last match, Ruby leaving, Qrow having been in contact with her mom this whole time, it was all too much at once… and it left her feeling exhausted.

"Still, if you want to find her, she may have let something slip when we last met that might be able to help. If you ever want to get back up on your feet and stop sulking, I may be able to help track her down."

Yang… didn't know what to say to that. If she felt overwhelmed before, she felt completely lost now. _Mom… I can find her? I've lost Ruby… maybe I can get my mom back._

* * *

"It's almost time." Ruby sighed, looking out over the small window of their parked airship at the city below. She'd been waiting for hours and now the sun was setting and the next match would soon be called and then… _I'll be reunited with Roman._

Ruby looked to the cockpit, Neo sat at the pilot's seat nonchalantly filing her nails. The wait didn't seem to bother her at all, but Ruby found herself growing restless. She had spent a good hour pacing back and forth, fretting over all the things that could go wrong up until Neo made her sit down.

 _Cinder said this next match will be it, but I'm not sure. Apparently the two fighting are going to be Pyrrha from Team JNPR and Penny. I remember Penny from that night at the docks, I fought against her and Thistle. She's like a robot or something, so putting her against someone with polarity should be devastating, but it all relies on Emerald being able to make Pyrrha use her semblance the right way. There's just a lot that could go wrong, but Emerald is really good at this, I guess all I can do is trust my team._

"I still wish there were more I could do." Ruby muttered to herself, touching her forehead to the cool glass of the window. _It feels like I've been at Beacon for a while, I've made good friends, I've fought and I've gotten so much stronger. I can't wait to tell Roman about all the things that have happened and all the things I've learned. I've even almost had my first kiss with Mercury._

Her cheeks heated up and her heart rate increased as she vividly recalled every detail, the way he held her, how warm she felt in his arms, even how he smelled. _'Okay, I probably shouldn't tell Roman about any of that… I hope Neo doesn't rat us out, Roman probably wouldn't be thrilled to hear that._

"Wait, I should call him, I bet he's bored anyway!" A blush tinted her cheeks and an excited but bashful smile formed from her lips as she pulled out her Scroll and clicked on his number in her contacts.

It rang…

And rang…

 **Click**

"Hey Ruby." Mercury answered. "What's up, getting bored of laying low too?"

"Yeah, something like that, I'm kinda nervous and excited at the same time, but I'm also bored. I guess that sounds really weird huh." Ruby's smile softened and she pressed the Scroll just a little closer against her.

"Yeah, but you're just pretty weird in general." He chuckled. "I probably shouldn't even be talking to you, they say weirdness is contagious."

"Oh you're such an ass!" Ruby hisses indignantly.

"What?! Sweet, innocent Ruby Rose swearing?! Maybe you really should stop hanging out with me, seems like I'm a bad influence on you." Ruby could hear Mercury give a snort of laughter on the other side of the phone.

"Oh yeah?! Well who was it that came and checked up on me after your match with Yang? Big bad boy Mercury Black worrying about me because I was sad. It seems like you may have to stop hanging out with me, I might be a good influence on you." She smirked, wishing she could see the look on his face right then.

"Maybe that wouldn't be so bad…" His uncharacteristically soft voice took Ruby aback. After she collected herself, she felt heat and tension building in her chest.

"We should probably talk about what happened between us, shouldn't we?" Now that tension overwhelmed with warmth, it felt as though it would strangle her heart if it went on much longer.

"Probably…"

"After this is over, I want to tell you how I feel and, I'd like to know how you feel… about me." Ruby swallowed, pushing herself forward with every ounce of strength and bracing herself for whatever he may say next.

"That… sounds good." He sounded as nervous as she did.

"The fight will be starting soon… I guess I have to go." Her voice was soft and quiet.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later soon, in person."

"Okay… bye then. I'll see you soon, Mercury."

"Yeah, you will. Bye Ruby."

 **Click**

With a heavy, reluctant sigh she closed her scroll and looked up to the ceiling. _He tried to kiss me too… that means he does like me… right?_

Despite her body being left weak from the brief but emotionally intense conversation she had with him, she forced herself to stand. Everything was happening so fast and at the same time, not fast enough, the same could be said for her entire time at Beacon. Still, soon she would have Roman back, and they would be a family again. Her, Neo and Mercury, they would be together, just like before and everything would be okay.

As she entered the cockpit she let her legs give out, falling to her knees beside Neo she brought her head to rest in her lap. For a moment, Neo was surprised, but as she looked down at the head of black, red tipped hair that had fallen into her lap, a warm, loving smile formed from her lips. Putting the nail file away she gently patted Ruby's head, running her fingers through her soft, short hair. After a moment, Neo closed her eyes, letting the moment wash over her. In her heart she felt so happy to have her little sister back, and soon she'd have Roman… and they would be a family again.


	42. Fall and Rise: Part 4

"Okay… bye then. I'll see you soon, Mercury." Ruby's soft voice washed over him from the other side of the Scroll. She sounded reluctant and nervous, but also impatient, mirroring the feelings in his own heart.

"Yeah, you will. Bye Ruby." He couldn't help but wish they had more time, but the the next match was about to start.

 **Click**

He hung up before he could let his feelings get the better of him. Now however, the empty utility room he sat in felt a whole lot quieter. His arm fell limply to his side and with a heavy sigh he turned his head up the ceiling, the pale fluorescent light flickering overhead. _I'm screwed aren't I? Emerald was right, I can't keep acting like it's nothing. We almost kissed… she almost kissed me back. That means…_

"Yeah, I'm screwed. I need to walk." He stuffed his Scroll back into his pants pocket along with his hands as he hopped off his chair and made his way to the door. _Okay, focus on the mission. Living super magnet versus the robot, that'll cause some serious damage. Then Cinder chimes in, fills the masses easily_ _manipulable_ _heads with paranoia and then we watch the carnage unfold._

"Sounds easy enough." Mercury grinned, the anticipation was killing him but it would all begin any moment. As he stepped into the hallway he could hear the unsuspecting crowds cheering for the next fight. _They have no idea what about to-_

A glimpse bright red in his peripheral vision stopped him in his tracks. His head turned bringing it into view. It was a small girl with bright red hair tied into braid on one side with soft purple eyes. She stared at him, for a moment her expression was that of pure confusion and shock… until her eyes narrowed dangerously at him. _Uh-oh, I think I've been made._

"It looks like our first contender is Penny Polendina from Atlas!" The announcer's voice filled the hall as Mercury stepped right in between the girl and the exit.

"And her opponent will be… Pyrrha Nikos from Beacon!" A smirk formed from his lips as looked down at her… and then, her eyes grew wide with terrifying realization.

"Ooh, polarity versus metal, that can't end well." Mercury snickered, getting a kick out of the look on her face.

"I knew it!" Thistle growled, baring her teeth at the boy in front of her. "Ruby's still on the wrong side, and you're with her!"

"Ruby is right where she belongs." He crouched slightly, bringing one leg back as he took a fighting pose. However, as he felt the tension between them charge, hissing and rumbling erupted from the air surrounding the small girl as her Semblance kicked up.

 _Okay, so this is Thistle… Ruby's warned me about her, says she's dangerous. She doesn't have her weapon but according to Ruby's analysis her Semblance is creating powerful concussive waves near her body or weapon. She also said that she's not immune to her own semblance and that her explosions take a toll on her aura if they're not channeled through her weapon. Still, she looks tough, but I just have to stall her until the fight is over._

"Move, last warning!" Thistle snarled, taking one firm step forward. _I don't have my Spite Virtues, but all I need to do is get past him and stop the fight. In his match against Yang he focused on fast and powerful kicks, if he gets close I can put him down without doing too much damage to myself_

"I think I'll stay here thanks, you can keep me company til the fight's over." Despite his smirk he felt apprehensive as the two of them readied to clash. _Oh well, at least if she kills me I won't have to have that uncomfortable conversation with Ruby._

"Three!" The announcer began the countdown.

"Two!" Mercury and Thistle stared each other down, the tension rising to the breaking point.

"One!" The air was quaking around Thistle and Mercury readied his boots to fire the first shot. Time itself seemed to slow until…

"Fight!"

Thistle lunged forward, an explosion beneath her feet propelling her faster that she could possible run as she jumped at the boy standing between her and the only path to the arena. Mercury didn't falter, as the girl flung herself at him he twisted his body into a high kick and just as she was bringing her fist down at him his boot intercepted.

As her first and his boot collided the explosion from both ends shook the air and knocked them both back! Mercury tumbled along the ground until he came to a screeching stop… but before he could get up Thistle had already recovered and was coming in for a second attack. _Are you kidding me!?_

She charged at him with a downward, sweeping kick while he was still on the floor, her heel poised to slam down right on top of his head. In the next instant Mercury narrowly avoided the devastating attack, the ground right below where his head had been was shattered from an explosion loosed from her foot, the shock-wave alone pushed him back.

Thistle didn't relent! Using the force of another explosion beneath her foot she propelled herself into a front flip, aiming her heel once again at a still recovering Mercury, bearing down all her momentum into her heel as she came down at him!

 **Bang!**

Mercury intercepted the kick with both his feet as he shot up into a handstand, his legs absorbing the shock. Thistle's eyes grew wide as she saw the devious grin on his face and in the next moment a blast from his boot shot at her chest. Her explosion knocked it away but the force threw her backwards, her hands and feet scraping against the floor to stop herself from being pushed back any further. In front of her Mercury was back on his feet.

 _Okay, I can't let her gain any more ground. She's strong but she relies way too much on her Semblance. Her fighting style without her knives and chains is sloppy at best, she's just trying to brute force her way past me. This might be easier than I thought._ His smirk grew as he readied for the next exchange, his opponent looking less than enthusiastic.

 _He's fast and he seems to have a good grasp of my Semblance, Ruby must have told him about me… I'm flattered._ She was breathing heavily as she stood, Mercury looked like he was barely trying. Her dread grew as she heard the fight going on in full swing between her two friends. _I can't focus on beating him, I need to just get past him!_

Suddenly she was ripped from her thoughts as Mercury sent two blasts from his boots at her! Gritting her teeth she fell to the ground, jumping out of the way just before they zoomed overhead. With a cocky laugh he unleashed a flurry of blasts at her in rapid fire succession!

 _He's trying to make me use my Semblance to protect myself!_ There was no time to dodge all of them. She stood steadfast and with a backhand she smacked his shots out of the air, the explosion she released echoed like thunder in the halls, but over the roaring of the crowd, no one could hear it outside. _I have to end this now!_

She crouched down as he brought his leg back to the floor, taking a defensive pose. Then, once again she launched herself forward at blistering speeds, ripping through the air as the ground beneath her shattered! The small girl had turned herself into a missile barreling straight down upon Mercury, but still he didn't yield… just like she wanted!

Another explosion rang out, blasting into Thistle's side! The sudden change in direction felt as though it might rip body apart even with her aura protecting her. Everything was a blur, she had to time it perfectly. In the next instant she loosed another concussive wave from behind her and in a blur she flew past Mercury!

She tumbled to a stop, slowing herself with a series of smaller explosions until she rolled onto her feet and burst into a sprint running down the halls, the hit she took to her aura was thankfully smaller than she expected. Behind her she could hear heavy footsteps rapidly approaching!

 _I have to run faster! I have to stop this fight! Penny, Pyrrha… please, please don't let me be too late!_ The bright light shined in from the end of the hallway as she ran toward the arena, her heart pounding so hard in her chest she couldn't hear her pursuer's footsteps anymore.

With one final push of adrenaline she ran faster, coming into into the stadium, her eyes locked on the two competitors. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth opened, time again seemed to slow… but there was nothing she could do but cry and fall to her knees.

"No…"

* * *

"It's time!" Ruby turned to Neo looking both at once excited and nervous. She was sitting in the copilot's seat beside her big sister. Neo flipped numerous switches on and pressed several buttons before their aircraft's engines turned on. Ruby felt their craft begin to move towards the Altas flagship where Roman was being kept, but she wished it would go faster.

 _Okay, so robot girl is dead as planned and Cinder should be giving her speech right about now. The White Fang are in position and the Grimm are breaking through the kingdom's defenses… everything is going right so far… now we just have to storm the ship, free roman, take it over, deliver the infectious program that'll turn the Atlas robot's against the people and then Cinder kills the Fall Maiden and finally Beacon falls… there's just so many moving parts, anything could go wrong. What if-_

Ruby felt a small hand come to rest atop her head, snapping her out of her spiraling thoughts. She turned around to find Neo, her gaze still fixed ahead to the large ship floating above Beacon, but her hand gently petted the younger girl, the familiar, loving gesture dissolving her fears. Ruby closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling of Neo's fingers flowing through her hair and the warmth she felt from her. With a small exhale, Ruby banished her fears and doubts. _We'll all be together again soon._

"Thank you Neo, I needed that." Ruby's warm, genuine smile was mirrored by Neo as she gave her little sister a small, affirming nod.

Ruby felt Neo's hand leave her head as it returned the the steering wheel. Ruby's eyes grew stark and focused as she looked to the airship that held Roman. As they drew near, Ruby felt the scythe on her back weigh heavier against her as it did before a fight, as though reminding her of what she could do with such a weapon. _I'll do whatever it takes to be with Roman again! I wasn't strong enough to protect him last time, but now, nothing will stop me!_

As they docked with the flagship Ruby felt her excitement and tension growing exponentially. The bay door closed behind their and their own engine shut off. They had acquired the right codes and numbers to get this far, but from this point on, they would be fighting their way into the cockpit and prison.

Ruby followed Neo as she got up from the pilot's seat. Neo casually carried her umbrella over her shoulder but the girl behind her wasn't so relaxed, her hand ready to grab for the scythe in an instant. The door opened and a ramp extended out leading them down to the floor. With a smug grin Neo walked out with Ruby in toe.

"Halt, identify yourselves!" Two guards ran out, their guns drawn and ready to fire. Neo smiled at them, her umbrella unfolded as she turned around to Ruby.

 ** _Whooosh!_**

In a blur of rose petals Ruby blitzed forward and the two guards fell. She stood behind their limp bodies, her back facing them and her scythe's blade rested on the ground as she held the hilt in one hand. Neo smiled proudly at the easy with which her adopted sister and protege had dispatched the guards without hesitation.

As Neo joined her she flashed her Scroll at a scanner attached to the wall. The door before them opened, retracting into the ceiling. Without delay they walked forward, Ruby's scythe screeching as it dragged along the ground. The were in a large room filled with guards, prison pods lined the walls.

In the next moment Ruby found herself staring down the barrels of dozens of guns, still, her deadly cold gaze never faltered. In a blur of pink Neo twirled in front of Ruby held her umbrella out behind her as she looked up at Ruby with a nonchalant smile before a hailstorm of bullets rained down upon them… and effortlessly Neo's umbrella blocked all of them.

"So, I guess I'm taking these guys too?" Ruby couldn't help but feel more confident and relaxed as she looked down at her sister. Neo smirked and tilted her head just a little as she leaned forward.

"Okay okay, I get it, you drove so I have to deal with them." Ruby sighed. Finally, the bullets stopped and Neo turned giving Ruby and opening.

Again Ruby's semblance dominated, in the time it took Neo to feel the rush of air and rose petals hitting her Ruby had already knocked down two men. Her fire wasn't needed as she effortlessly weaved between the helpless guards, cutting them down one after another. It was a beautiful sight to watch for Neo as Ruby danced around them, her attacks flowing but precise.

In no time, Ruby stood victorious, strewn beneath her were the unmoving bodies of those that stood between her and their mission. The young girl cloaked in black and red seemed unfazed by the exertion as Neo skipped merrily over the bodies, stopping for a brief moment to kick one still conscious soldier in the face before joining up with her little sister.

"Alright do you know which one he's in?" Ruby asked looking down the rows of pods that all looked the same to her. Neo walked right by her, rolling her eyes as she held up her scroll, Ruby followed along with an exasperated sigh, but still, she couldn't help but smile.

The pair came to a stop at one specific pod, Neo looked from her Scroll to the pod a couple times before flashing it in front of a scanner. With a pneumatic sound the door open and Ruby's heart was overwhelmed with happiness and relief.

"Took you both long enough." Roman smirked. "I was beginning to think I'd need to hire new-"

Before he could get another word out he felt a familiar force hit him as Ruby rushed forward, petals scattering behind her as she threw her arms around him and and buried her face into his shoulder. His stunned expression quickly softened and a warm smile formed from his smirk as he put his arms around the small girl and held her. If he was being honest… this was what kept him going up until they freed him.

"I missed you too Red." Roman's voice was little more than a whisper as he held her just a little tighter. "Come on, we've got a city to burn."

"R-right!" Ruby bolted up, bumping her head against the top of the cell as she stood. Roman just smiled at her, in her big silver eyes he could see tears of joy and relief pooled on their surface. _I never thought anyone would be so happy to see this mug._

"Oh! We brought something for you!" Ruby smiled excitedly as she turned to Neo. The petite woman reached for her back and pulled out a very familiar looking cane. Roman's smile grew cocky and devious as took his cane into his hand and stepped out from the pod, Ruby and Neo at his sides.

"Ladies, we are back in business!"

* * *

"No!" Thistle screamed as she rushed in front of the giant Nevermore, leaping between the monster and Pyrrha who was paralyzed with shock. "I'm not letting anyone else I care about die!"

Still, she was weaponless and she needed as much of her aura as possible… things were only about to get much worse. She glared down the beast, it's glowing red eyes burned into her. She braced herself as it barreled down at her, its beak ready to kill anyone it bit into. _I'll just give it more than it can chew!_

"Thistle!" A familiar voice cried out as a giant glyph appeared between her and the monster, it's head smashing into it a full force, stunning it. "Get away from her!"

Weiss dashed forward, summoning up all her strength as she came to a grinding halt in front of Thistle, standing protectively between her girlfriend and the Grimm as the Nevermore recovered and readied to another attack.

As reared back and readied to strike... it suddenly stopped as a rocket propelled locker smashed into its head at full speed, plowing it into the stadium floor followed by a dozen more! All around the couple their friends and allies stood with their scrolls out. The Nevermore was dead and Weiss took a moment to breath, her mind had been a haze of grief, disbelief and fear since Penny… since the end of the match. Her glyph let up and she turned to Thistle.

"Thistle what's going on!?" Weiss asked desperately, even knowing that her partner likely knew as much as she did. "The Grimm, that woman… Penny… how could this be happening?"

"I don't know, but Mercury is involved and if he's part of this then…"

"Ruby…" Weiss' pale blue eyes grew wide as the realization hit her. "This… was all this a plan to free Torchwick!?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, we need to stop it!" Thistle's voice burned with rage as she pulled out her Scroll, Weiss following her. As quickly as they could they punched in their coordinates and waited. Within moments, their lockers smashed into the ground and swung open. Side by side Weiss' Myrtenaster and Thistle's Spite Virtues waited.

Thistle slipped her weapons onto her wrists and Weiss loaded the revolver in her sword before giving it a spin. Behind them their classmates and friends gathered with their weapons ready an Jaune tended to the still broken Pyrrha.

Suddenly the sound of wings drew their attention. At the top of the stadium where the Nevermore and broken through, a flock of Griffins were now perched, ready to attack the students who readied for the fight, their weapons loaded and their will unshaken.

Suddenly a massive fireball shot out, forcing the encroaching Grimm back! All eyes looked to its source, Professor's Port and Oobleck walked forward, taking the front lines.

"It's time for you all to leave." Oobleck spoke to the students, not taking his eyes of the swarm the flew overhead.

"We can't just leave you!" Weiss protested, brandishing her sword towards the Grimm, ready to join the fray.

"No, you must leave this to us. This day will surely go down in Remnant's history, I would prefer if my students were alive to tell about it." He looked sternly at the heiress, but a smile on his face told her that he was doing it for them...

"Fine." She sighed begrudgingly as she turned to the other students. "Come on everyone, let's get to the docks!"

With cheers of agreement the students followed Weiss' command as they joined behind the throngs of evacuees. Weiss took another look back to her teachers, worry and guilt weighing heavily in her mind… until a gentle and familiar touch fell on her shoulder. She turned to Thistle, the couple exchanging a long look and although nothing was spoken between them, Weiss nodded and the ran off together, following the others, leaving their teachers behind.

 _I- I still can't believe this is happened. Penny… she- she's gone. Ruby, could she really be a part of this. We trusted her, Yang trusted her! How many people are going to die because of her… all because I could stop her back in Mountain Glenn, all because we couldn't figure out what was really going on!_ Weiss' grip tightened painfully around the hilt of her sword as the ran down the halls, Thistle by her side and her friends out in front of her. She could hear screaming and gunfire in front of them, where the air buses transporting the evacuating spectators.

 _This is bad! We have to hurry!_ Weiss quickened her pace and Thistle followed! As they came out to the docks… General Ironwood awaited them, the civilians gathered by the air buses waiting for rescue all looked terrified, which Weiss knew would only attract more Grimm… but she couldn't blame them… _I'm scared too._

"What's happening!?" Weiss ran to the front of the group, stopping before Ironwood as he looked over the students, his eyes looked heavy with guilt and grief.

"Grimm have taken over the city and the White Fang have invaded Beacon, and to make matters worse some… vagabond has taken control of my ship."

"Torchwick." Weiss turned to see Thistle standing beside her, a furious rage burned in her eyes, a quick glance at the General confirmed Thistle's suspicion.

"Until we regain control of my ship we've lost the skies." Ironwood admitted shamefully.

"So what do we do?" Jaune spoke up, looking determined to help.

"You can either fight for your kingdom… or flee and save yourselves." The General looked to them, his eyes meeting each and every one of the student's eyes before he spoke again, his tone soft and genuine. "No one will think less of you if you chose to save yourselves."

"Now, I'm going to take back my ship." With that, he turned, his arms folded behind his back as he entered into his Bullhead, ready to fight Torchwick. After his robotic soldiers boarded, he took off.

"Come on, we can take an air bus down to the city!" Jaune motioned with his sword to an empty bus still waiting for passengers. The rest of the students follow him… but as Weiss went to go with them, she felt a hand grab her wrist.

"Thistle, what's wrong?" Weiss looked to her girlfriend, her head was low, her red bangs obscured her eyes, but she could hear Thistle's heavy breathing and as her grip tightened around her wrist, Weiss's worry spiked. "Thistle…"

"Torchwick has control of the ship… so we know who's up there with him." Finally her head rose up, her purple eyes burned with fierce determination as they met Weiss'. "I'm going after her."

"But, Ironwood already left. We'll be more helpful on the ground." Her voice was soft, but she knew her partner wouldn't yield so easily.

"I'm not leaving this up to anyone else, we've seen what happens." The rage in her eyes ebbed as she let go of her leader's wrist. "Will you fight by my side Weiss?"

"Yes." Weiss said it without pause or hesitation, and the fear in her heart eased as Thistle's normal, cocksure smile returned.

"Glad to hear it!"

"How are we going to- ah!" Weiss yelped as her girlfriend pulled her off her feet, one of Thistle's strong arms coming to rest behind her knees as her other arm held her back. Weiss blushed as she found herself held bridal style by Thistle while she stood at the edge of the stadium overlooking a very long drop.

"Thistle! What are you doing!" Panic flared in Weiss' chest as Thistle took another step forward towards the edge. Weiss put one arm over Thistle's shoulder and held on as tight as she could, peeking down at the steep drop one more time before burying her face into Thistle's neck and waiting for the insane plan to begin.

"Weiss… glyph me!" Without hesitation, Thistle jumped. Weiss felt the air rushing around them as they plummeted. With a loud scream she used what little focus she could muster to conjure a glyph beneath Thistle's feet… and then, they stopped falling.

With a trembling breath Weiss put up two more glyphs at the bottom of each of her partner's feet and braced herself for what would inevitably be the most terrifying ride of her life.

 **Boom!**

* * *

"I wonder what this button does!?" Torchwick said excitedly as he pushed another button in the cockpit. Moments later an explosion rang out from outside the ship and Roman giggled with sadistic glee. Beside him, Ruby smiled feeling at once amused and excited as she leaned with her butt against the dashboard.

"Hey, let me try one!" She spun around. Roman stepped back as Ruby looked over the complicated mess of switches, levers, buttons and touch screens before shrugging and pressing one at random… but nothing seemed to happen.

"Aww." She whined, stepping away and giving command back to Torchwick.

"Leave this to the professionals sweetheart." Roman quipped sarcastically as he returned to a process of pushing random things that was no more educated than Ruby's.

"Professional button masher more like. You don't have any idea what you're doing either." Ruby huffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"When did you get snarky?" Roman looked up at her with an amused grin. Then, his smile softened and his green eyes dulled with sadness. "A lot must have happened while I was on vacation."

"I'll have to tell you about it when this is all over." Ruby smiled warmly at him… but then Neo walked over with a devilish smirk aimed at Ruby and immediately she knew what her big sister was implying and a hot blush spread across her cheeks. _Please don't tell him anything about me and Mercury! I don't even know what's going on between us yet!_

Neo silently giggled at the look on Ruby's face before shrugging and putting her hands up as she turned back to Roman, handing him the Scroll that contained the infectious program to override all the Atlas robotic soldiers.

"Ooh, now this is where things get very interesting." With a dark laugh Roman put the Scroll into the main computer and it suddenly turned red with a black queen chess piece in the middle of the screen.

 **Thud!**

A dull sound echoed through the ship as something landed on its metal surface outside. All eyes turned and Roman looked less than pleased, but it was Ruby that had the worst feeling about it. If she was a betting girl, she'd put Lien down that she was right about who she thought it was. _WYBT._

"Go see what that was." Roman sighed in exasperation. With a nod Neo did as he said, her umbrella resting on her shoulder as she walked towards the exit.

"I'm going too." Ruby looked to Torchwick, her eyes burning with conviction that killed any protest he may have had.

"Why don't we all go." He grabbed his cane that rested against the pilot's seat as he and Ruby joined Neo. Still Ruby could not escape the ever growing sense of foreboding the gnawed at the back of her mind.

Wind lashed around Ruby's body as she pulled herself up onto the top of the airship. The cool autumn night air and the height and wind left her feeling very cold very fast, but still she pushed herself to stand, and Roman followed behind her.

 _Who else could it be? It has to be them, they've been there at every turn trying to get in my way! Why can't they just leave us alone!? I don't want to… but if it's them, I'll have no choice, I won't let them interfere anymore. If it's them, I will kill them._ Ruby let the cold around her flow into her heart as she walked to the front of the ship. The trio came to a dead stop and Ruby felt her heart skip a beat, her eyes wide as she stared across the span of steel that stretched from the cockpit to the nose of ship. Taking a long, deep breath Ruby walked forward, leaving Roman and Neo behind her.

"I knew it would be you… Thistle."

"Ruby!" Thistle snarled so loudly her voice easily carried over the strong winds. Beside her Weiss looked to the caped girl with pity and sorrow as she brandished her sword, ready for battle.

"Well if it isn't the Ice Queen and her pet." Roman laughed coming up to Ruby's side, one hand in his pocket, the other on his cane, and on her other side Neo stepped forward with her umbrella folded up, its tip barely touching the ground as she held it downwards with both hands.

"Yeah, I see you brought your girlfriend with you. I'm glad you both made up." Ruby's voice was calm, she kept her gaze fixed on the couple in front of her as she reached behind her and pulled out her scythe.

"You two take care of Weiss… Thistle and I have some unfinished business." Without awaiting their answer Ruby walked forward, the tip of Inferno Crescent's blade dragging along the metal floor behind her.

Across from her it looked like Thistle had the same idea as she separated from Weiss' her knives trailing along the ground behind her as she walked up to Ruby. Weiss gave her one last worried look before turning to the two villains that had set their sights on her. The battle was about to begin… _And I will not lose._

"So what, is this our final battle or something? You're zero for three against me remember?" Ruby came to a stop, Thistle stood no more than a few meters away. She could practically taste the tension in the air between them.

"This isn't a game! People are dying down there! Innocent people… Penny…" Thistle's voice quivered, she lowered her head so her adversary could not see the tears pooling in her eyes. "What was this all for!? Yang, she trusted you! I- I even began to think… maybe we could put it all behind us… I was an idiot."

"No arguments here." Ruby held her scythe's hilt forward, the massive blade resting behind her. "I did what I had to do for the people I care about. I won't lie, for a time, even I thought maybe I could have it all… but I can't, and this is where I belong!"

Suddenly an inferno ignited behind Ruby! The strong winds whipped her cape and caressed her hair, the flame grew as the gusts fed it and glowing embers carried in the breeze. The bright orange glow of the fire turned Ruby into little more than a silhouette, but the shattered moonlight reflected brightly in her silver eyes that stared into her with deathly cold.

Thistle knew the time for words was over, the air around her hissed and crackled as her Semblance flared with her rage. She's dreamed of this fight… but she didn't want it to be like this. She knew the loser of this fight would probably lose their life, and she was fully willing to take that… if she were alone, but the thought of the girl she brought with her compelled her to feel that she had to make it out of this alive.

"Aaaaah!" With a belligerent cry the two combatants at once exploded forward, the sheer force of their charge crumpling the metal floor beneath them!

With a swing of her arm Thistle whipped her chain towards Ruby, aiming the knife right at her head. In the same instant Ruby spun her scythe, bringing the flaming blade up! In an explosion of fire their weapons met and their fight began!

Ruby twirled her scythe, using the stolen momentum of each explosion to knock the other chain back as she moved closer and closer to her target! Every clash of their weapon's could be felt through the entire ship as it quaked beneath their powerful collisions!

"Not this time!" Thistle growled!

In the next instant Ruby felt a rush of air behind her and her heart skipped a beat! With zero margin for error she jumped and spun her scythe, using its weight to force herself into a backflip just a chain sliced through the air where she once was!

Seizing the moment Thistle exploded forward, sending herself barreling down at the airborne girl! As her knife was reeled back into her hand she readed to slash at Ruby before she could recover! For just an instant, their eyes met as Thistle's knife cut made contact.

 ** _Whoosh!_**

Thistle's blade cut through a cloud of rose petals as a gust of air nearly knocked her off her feet! Taking a page from Ruby's book she didn't fight the force of the air, instead flowed with it to turn herself around just in time to see a massive flaming blade slicing right down at her neck!

A pillar of fire ejected into the sky, bathing the battlefield in a hot orange light as it towered above the two fighters. Just an instant before she would have been cleaved in two Thistle raised her hand under the blade and loosed and explosion that sent it upward, sparing her the direct damage!

 _No way…_ Ruby's eyes were wide as Thistle calmly turned towards her, the ball of fire faded leaving only the flame of her blade to see the intense glare from Thistle's eyes that burned into her. This was not the same girl Ruby had fought before… she was stronger, faster and more confident.

The sound of chains clanging against the metal floor stole Ruby's attention as Thistle swung her knife at her! In a blur Ruby brought her scythe down to catch the knife and as the blades met another powerful explosion rocked the large ship and the two flew away from each other from the force of the counter!

 _She's so much stronger, she knows my moves, I can't rely on surprise…_ Ruby's grip tightened around the shaft of her scythe as she glared down her opponent.

 _She's still faster than me! Blocking that scythe with a direct explosion took a chunk out of my remaining aura… but I can still win this!_ Fierce determination soared in her chest as she readied for their nest exchange.

Meanwhile, Weiss was fighting for her life. Roman kept her at a distance with blast after blast from his cane while Neo got in close, weaving effortlessly between Weiss' attacks and keeping her constantly on the defensive!

 _Two at once, covering long and short range and the work together perfectly! Thistle is fighting with everything she's got against Ruby, I can't let her down!_ Weiss gritted her teeth as she gave her revolver a spin.

Neo lunged at her, blade in one hand and surprisingly strong umbrella in the other. Weiss hadn't just been running and staying alive, she'd been studying their attack pattern. _Okay, she'll feint an attack and he'll shoot at me with his cane, while I'm recovering from dodging she'll come at my side… in that case…_

Just as she predicted Neo feigned a slash of her blade, forcing Weiss to step back slightly to defend. In the next instant she spun away and Roman fired! Immediately Weiss threw up wall of ice to take the blast and Neo came up beside her for a deadly attack… but this time, Weiss was prepared!

In a fluid motion Weiss brought her sword down, parrying her attacker and summoning a glyph right beneath her. She couldn't help but smirk as spikes of ice shot up from the ground directly beneath her! _Got her!_

However, the image of the girl with brown and pink hair shattered before her… just like that night her team beat Roman's robot. Her heart skipped and she whipped around only catching a glimpse of Neo before a powerful kick to her face sent her flying… right over the edge of the ship!

Weiss was… falling. She saw the ship grow rapidly further away as she fell. Her eyes closed as she awaited the inevitable impact.

 _Thistle… I'm sorry!_ Her eyes squeezed shut and teardrops fell from her eyes… but then a powerful fire burned through her chest and her eyes shot wide open. _I'm not leaving her to fight those three alone!_

As her conviction and confidence swelled within her, a new glyph appeared at her back. She narrowed her eyes and focused on the ship. Gripping Myrtenaster tight she rolled her body, her feet touching down on something solid, stopping her in mid air… it was a giant sword, and an arm reaching out from her glyph held it… she had successfully summoned it!

"Up!" Weiss commanded and suddenly she felt the immense force compress her body as it flung her high into the air! It wasn't long before she ascended above the ship, Neo and Roman were walking towards Thistle. Weiss aimed herself at them and conjured another glyph beneath her feet and crouched down and then released it! At breakneck speeds Weiss shot herself at the two criminals, her sword aimed at them with a glyph at its tip!

 _ **Boom!**_

The entire ship tilted from the impact, Roman and Neo were sent flying in opposite directions. Roman managing to stop himself from falling of the side of the ship with the recoil from his cane while Neo opened her umbrella to catch the air! Weiss stood defiantly in a giant indent in the armored hull of the ship, her sword held vertically up in front of her face as she again summoned the arm of the possessed armor she had once defeated.

 _I will not let my team down!_

Both Ruby and Thistle stared at Weiss in awe, however Thistle felt pride in her heart while Ruby felt fear for her family that was fighting the heiress.

 _This is really bad! I knew Weiss was strong but I thought the only one I'd really have to worry about was Thistle! I have to end this fast so I can help them deal with her!_ Ruby gripped the shaft of her scythe and turned her attention back to Thistle.

The two girls again stared each other down. Ruby reared back her blade ready to lunge while Thistle reeled in her knives, leaving them dangling on only a few feet of chains from her wrist mounts.

Ruby exploded forward, her scythe's blade bursting into flames the scorched the rose petals behind her! Thistle stood steadfast and unyielding as her rival barreled down upon her. Just before Ruby drew within striking range with her scythe Thistle swung both her arms in, her knives shot out and the chains on either side of Ruby closed in around her!

 _No!_ Ruby clenched her jaw and swung down at the ground with all her might as she kicked herself up off the ground! She leaped into a handstand as she held tight to the shaft of her weapon, the heat from the fire washed over her as Thistle's chains wrapped around it! _I've only got one chance!_

In the next instant she swung her body back and kicked her legs out at Thistle as she fell with her scythe! A fireball shot out from her blade and launched her forward, her feet slamming into Thistle's chest… for just a moment before an explosion knocked her back!

With the painfully stolen energy from the explosion at her feet she raised herself back up, the fireball having freed her scythe from Thistle's chains. In mid air Ruby spun her body around to face Thistle. The moment her feet touched the ground she pulled up on her scythe with every ounce of strength she could pour forth from her body. At the same time Thistle yanked her arm up sending her knife up right in front of Ruby.

At the exact same time… their attacks landed point blank! A massive fireball engulfed Thistle while a immense concussive wave slammed into Ruby!

Both girls were shot back away from each other, their auras deeply depleted… but they were still able to fight! Ruby swung her scythe down into the metal of the ship, slicing a gash in its hull as she poured the force that sent her flying through her scythe and into the floor. Across from her Thistle's knives sliced through the hull, the chains on her wrists catching her, bringing her to a hard stop.

They were breathing heavily, their trembling bodies were feeling the damage from their fight. It was even hard for Ruby to rip her scythe from the body of the ship, thankfully the fire that surrounded her blade helped soften the metal that surrounded it. At the other end of the ship, Thistle used her Semblance to blow her knives from their holes.

 _This is really bad, I can't keep going like this. One more hit like that and I'm done, and I still have to help fight Weiss after this. I may have to use all of my dust on Thistle but as long as I have some aura left, I can still deal with Weiss! I can't use the Ruby Meteor here, it's too dangerous, if I can't put Thistle down with it, I'd lose all my remaining aura for nothing. Okay then… so there's only one other thing I can do._

Ruby took a long, deep breath, steadying her nerves and calming her body. Closing her eyes she reared her scythe back, the fire the roared from her blade grew even more intense as she slowed her heart rate as much as she could. Her eyes opened, her vision tunneled until all that was within her focus was her opponent. _The only thing I have left… is the Rose of Hades!_

 ** _Whooosh!_**

Ruby turned into a blur with a flaming tale and rose petals following close behind her… however, she didn't charge at Thistle, instead, in her first burst she bypassed the confused girl entirely… by the time Thistle realized what was going on… it was too late.

A roaring vortex of fire swirled around her! The intense heat scorched away her aura little by little every second as Ruby rushed around her at speeds even Thistle didn't think possible. She was helpless to fight back, the blinding light of the fire made any attack futile!

As the towering cyclone grew it's light washed over everything on the ship's surface, it's intense head and powerful gusts reached Roman, Neo and Weiss. All three stared up in awe of the immensity of the fire around swirled before them.

"Thistle!" Weiss cried out in horror. "Thist-"

 **Bang!**

Weiss felt a powerful impact slam into her side as Roman seized the opportunity and shot her while she was distracted! In the next moment Neo swung her leg up in a roundhouse kick, bringing her heel down onto the back of Weiss' head hard enough to break her remaining aura! After that… everything faded away as the leader of Team WYBT fell into unconsciousness.

Thistle was on the ground in the center of the whirling inferno… it wasn't the heat that was bringing her to her knees… it was the lack of oxygen! The fire consumed all the breathable air, but from Ruby's position she could breath a little better, but even she was starting to feel the effects of the attack, and her own aura was being strained by the sheer forces involved.

Thistle could feel the metal beneath her rapidly heating and her oxygen was nearly gone… she could feel her body giving in to the suffocation as her vision blurred and her aura began to fail. _I- I can't die like this… I can't… everyone… after all of this, I have to… do something… Weiss… she's out there… she's fighting for her life… all my friends… I won't let anyone else die…_

"I won't…" Thistle drew from reserves of willpower she didn't even know she possessed as she forced herself up, a strength burning hotter than any flame raged within her. "I'm coming… Weiss."

 **Booooom!**

An immense explosion sheared the hull of the ship off from the its body as it expanded outward, the force snuffing out the raging twister of flames as it blew a massive hole in the ship and sent Ruby flying, barely able to hold on to her scythe as she slammed down hard against the ship.

Thistle stood in the middle of it all, beneath her was a gaping hole in the ship, glowing hot metal shrapnel rained down around her. The small girl was terrifying as she she stood in mid air before gravity began to take her. With a small explosion under her feet she jumped forward, landing on the intact hull while Ruby staggered to her feet, her Dust almost exhausted and her aura nearly depleted.

Thistle turned to Weiss who lay unconscious on the ground, her sword resting beside. _I finally did it, destructive interference. A bunch of small explosions direct most of the damage from the big one downward and upward… still… my aura is almost gone and Ruby is still alive. I- I have to save Weiss… I can't fight these three on my own. I- I'm so sorry Weiss… I didn't think and now… I'm sorry I got you into this._

Ruby could barely bring her scythe up, her body was weak and mind was hazy. _Even that, even the Rose of Hades couldn't stop her. Okay, I think it's safe to say, if it were just us, you'd win this round. But Weiss is finished and you're looking almost as bad as I feel. Roman and Neo, with them helping me, this will be our last fight… ever._

"Red, this kid giving you trouble?" Roman walked up behind her with Neo following, taking up her side as the three readied to face off against the small girl.

"I may… need some help." Ruby laughed feeling as though she were about to topple over.

"We'll deal with her." Roman's voice was dark and full of malice as he glared at the red haired girl.

"I can still fight." Ruby was panting heavily, but she forced her body to move, compelling herself to take a few steps forward… the a new sound hit her ears… it was something… wings?

"I've got this, you just- Gah!" Roman screamed! Ruby and Neo spun around… a giant Nevermore had him in its talons before it began to fly away.

"Neo!" Ruby screamed her body surging with adrenaline as she ran forward. Neo's umbrella opened up above her head just before Ruby jumped on top of it. She reared her scythe back and then…

 ** _Whooosh!_**

An explosion of fire and rose petals sent Ruby forward like a rocket as she tore through the sky after the grim, the fight behind her completely lost to her mind, all she could think about was Roman. She bit down so hard she felt her teeth might shatter as she came up above the Grimm!

"Give him back!" With a defiant cry and a slash of her scythe she cleaved the giant beast in two, it's body dissolving… leaving Roman to free fall towards the ground below.

With her Semblance, Ruby caught up to him, wind rushed around her as she took him into her arms. She felt him put his arms around her as they plummeted. Just before tears made her vision too blurry to see… Ruby saw their only salvation, a massive Grimm like none she'd ever seen before flying towards Beacon. With all her strength and her remaining Dust she propelled them up and forward praying that they make it. She closed her eyes as the soared through the night sky and gently let her scythe fall from her hands.

* * *

"Weiss!" Thistle screamed at the top of her lungs as she sprinted to her girlfriend. However, just before she reached her… the ship lurched, and a fiery explosion ejected from the hole Thistle had created… and then… they began to fall!

The ship pitched to its side and Weiss rolled off its edge falling limping towards the ground, her sword following close behind. Without hesitation Thistle dived off the edge, sending out another explosion to propel herself faster, her vision dimmed until Weiss was just a blur of white… but as soon as she felt her hand touch the soft fabric of Weiss' dress Thistle loosed another explosion!

As the couple fell Thistle grabbed hold of Weiss, tears fell from her eyes as they tumbled through the air. Her hand shakily found her's and Thistle entwined her fingers with Weiss' as she wrapped one around around her. Even as they plummeted… a soft smile formed from Thistle's lips and she held Weiss just a little bit tighter.

 _This isn't fair… there's so much more I wanted to experience with you and the others. Weiss… I wish it were just me in this situation, I'm the one that deserves this. I dragged out along without thinking and now… I… I need to tell you this… just this one thing… it doesn't matter if you hear me… but I need to say it._

Thistle took a long deep breath. Over the sound of rushing wind and her own racing heart, she doubted she would even hear herself… even so, she held Weiss just a little tighter and rested her head on her shoulder, putting her lips by Weiss' ear.

"Weiss… I love you."

With the last of her strength Thistle rolled Weiss on top of her so Thistle lay between Weiss and the rapidly approaching ground, she shut her eyes tight and held Weiss as she braced for impact.

* * *

Off in the distance, Mercury heard an explosion. Out of nothing but curiosity, he turned his head to its source… and his heart immediately filled with dread as he watched the ship Roman was being held on crash to the ground.

"That's the ship Ruby was on…" His voice was cold but as he turned to Emerald, she could see the worry in his eyes.

"Cinder told us not to stop filming." She frowned, looking from the city below and then to Mercury and then to the smoke where the wreckage of the ship now burned and she couldn't deny the worry in her own mind as she thought about the girl who had been her teammate and friend.

"There's obviously more going on down there anyway!" Mercury looked back to Emerald one more time. "I'm going!"

With that he tossed her the Scroll they were using to stream the carnage and without another thought he jumped down from the building. With a heavy sigh Emerald followed him.

Overhead the Grimm Dragon flew into Beacon.

* * *

 _How is all of this happening?! Where's Weiss and Thistle?! Where's Blake?! W-where's Ruby?_ These thoughts plagued Yang as she searched for her teammates. Team CFVY had the Paladins pretty well handled, but Yang was too worried about everyone to stop searching, thankfully the second year team had sent her on ahead.

 _Last I heard, Torchwick had taken control of Ironwood's ship, that's what Coco told me… could Ruby really be part of… all of this! She- she wouldn't let all of these people die just to free him… would she?_

"Ah!" A yelp of pain caught Yang's attention… through a large shattered window she saw a tall man with a red hair in a White Fang mask… standing over Blake… with his sword stabbed into her abdomen. It took Yang a long moment to really process everything, but as the man turned towards her… everything clicked and a blinding rage overcame her.

"Aahhhhh!" With a belligerent, pain and rage filled cry, she jumped at him as tears clouded her eyes.

* * *

Ruby blinked blearily, only dimly aware of anything but the pain that screamed at her from all over her body. She knew she felt cold… and weak. Slowly, as her vision returned, so did her senses. She was surrounded by rubble, the taste of blood and dirt filled her dry mouth as she slowly and painfully got on all fours she looked up.

"Do you believe in destiny?"

Ruby blinked again, green eyes pierced into her as Pyrrha Nikos stared at her… with an arrow through her chest. Cinder stood over her, glancing briefly over to Ruby before looking back down at Pyrrha.

"Yes." With a touch… Pyrrha was burned to ashes, and Cinder stood victorious.

 _W-why was she looking at me when she said that?_ Ruby felt a ache in her chest… and then… she remembered.

"Roman!" A spike of energy surged through her body as she spun around… and then her heart was chilled with terror.

"I'd say it's been an eventful evening." Roman laughed weakly as he sat on the floor, propped up on a pile of rubble… with three large holes punctured into his torso from the talons of the Nevermore.

"N-no… Roman." Tears filled Ruby's eyes she crawled over to him, her hands held up to her chest as blood pooled around her… his blood.

"Are those tears for me? Never thought I'd see the day, someone crying for me at the end… gotta say... I didn't see this coming." His voice was becoming softer as his bleeding slowed. Shakily, he reached up his hand and placed it on Ruby's shoulder.

"Thank you… for being here with me…" Still, through all of this, his smile hadn't faded. Ruby just watched helplessly as he bled out, tears flowing silently down her cheeks as she listened to him.

"I- I never did say it, but… I guess I'm not going to get another change. Ruby… yes, you were right… I was afraid you'd leave me… if you got your memory back. I didn't want you to leave. For once, I'd found something that meant more to me than surviving. I- I need to say this, because it's important to me… Ruby… I love you, whatever that means, it's how I feel."

"No… Roman… you can't leave me! You can't leave me because I- I love you too!" Ruby threw her arms round him, her soft whimpers convulsed her aching body. She couldn't even feel his heartbeat as she pressed her head against his neck, resting her chin on his shoulder. She felt his blood soaking through her clothes but it didn't matter, she held him as tight her her weak body could. He was surprised he could feel her tears against his skin… and that made him smile even more.

"This is it…" His voice was barely a whisper as he used the last of his strength to lift his arm. He had no sensation on that side, so he couldn't be sure, but he grabbed for his hat and with everything he hand left within him, he dropped his hat onto Ruby's head, before his arm fell limply to his side.

"End of the line… Red."

"Roman… Roman…" Ruby whimpered. She forced herself up as she gently shook him, she couldn't even see through the haze of tears. "Roman… Roman… you can't go…"

"Roman!"

Suddenly a sharp pain spiked through her head… and everything was consumed in a brilliant, blinding white light.

And then everything… faded… to black.

* * *

 _Roman…_ A thought echoed from the darkness of her mind, stirring her consciousness. The pain in her body was lessened, but still a dull ache permeated her entire being. Slowly her mind began to work… and despite their seemingly immense weight… she forced her eyelids open.

She was in a bed… sunlight streamed through the window…

"Aaaaah!" Ruby cried out as loud as she could, he force of her cry seared her dry throat as she fell to the floor in agony. Waves of nausea and pain rolled over her as tears flowed from her eyes as dripped down to the floor.

"Ruby what's wrong!" A man ran in and kneeled beside Ruby as she panted heavily on the floor, her entire body feeling at once burning hot and freezing cold.

"I- I remember…"

"Dad… I remember everything..."


	43. Fall and Rise: Part 5

"Are you feeling better?" Taiyang looked down at his youngest daughter as she lay in her bed, a mug of warm milk him her hands.

"I guess…" Ruby mumbled numbly as she gently swirled the the mug, her gaze fixed on the surface of her drink. She hadn't even taken a sip, but the warmth the flowed into her hands felt nice.

"So, you really have your memories back?" Tai prodded cautious as he knelt by her bedside.

"I do." Her grip tightened around her mug so much that if she weren't so weak she might have broken it.

"Ruby… everything that happened-"

"I don't want to talk about it." Ruby cut him off. Not once since he helped her back into her bed had she made eye contact with him. If she was being honest, she didn't know what she felt about her memory returning, it was either dull numbness or a raging storm of feelings too volatile for her to pin any one down specifically.

"Alright, whenever you're ready to talk, I'll listen." Tai knew he wouldn't get anywhere. It hurt, but he had to just give her time. With a soft sigh, he got to his feet and turned towards the door… stopping immediately as he laid eyes on a man with black hair in a and Qrow looked at each other for a long moment without a word before Tai gave a small shrug and reluctantly left Ruby with him, closing the door as he left.

"Hey kid." Qrow approached her, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He came to rest leaning against the wall beside the window where warm light streamed in.

"Hey Qrow…" Again she didn't look up.

"So, you got your memory back huh? Pretty convenient timing."

"Beacon has fallen, Roman is dead… so many people are dead and I'm responsible for a lot of it. I wish I were lying about my memories returning." There was a bitterness in her voice Qrow had never heard before, it's as though a light inside her had died… he couldn't blame her after everything she'd been through and everything she'd done.

"Well, that might be why your memories returned, once Roman died maybe the shock snapped something inside your head and brought it all back… or it could have been your eyes." Qrow said cryptically as she turned to face her.

"My… eyes?" Well that got Ruby's attention. For the first time since she had awoken, she looked up to him, meeting his gaze.

"You have silver eyes." Again with a cryptic tone he pulled one hand from his pocket and pointed at her eyes.

"Cinder… said the same thing to me when we first met, right after I lost my memory." Ruby blinked in confusion.

"Of course she did." Qrow sighed in exasperation. "Well, I guess I should tell you, silver eyes is an extremely rare trait. Long ago, those with silver eyes were said to be destined to be great warriors, and that a single glance from a silver eyed warrior was enough to kill a Grimm. Sorta like what you did to that giant Grimm frozen on top of Beacon."

"I- I see…" Ruby's gaze fell back to her mug as her eyes dulled with cold depression. _Is that what brought my memories back… or was it losing Torchwick? Either way… what will I do now?_

"Alright kid, I guess you don't really want to talk to me either so I'll get out of your hair for now…" Qrow shrugged, putting his hands behind his head as he turned for the door.

"Thanks." Ruby whispered absently, retreating into her own mind.

"Want me to send your friends up?" Well that pulled her from her head.

"Friends?" Ruby tilted her head bemused.

"Yeah, the smartass that fought Yang in the tournament and that really short girl with the umbrella, they're downstairs and-"

"Mercury and Neo are here!?" That was the most energy she'd had in her voice since she first woke up, her eyes were wide and her eyebrows raised in shock and disbelief.

"Yeah, they're the ones who brought you here." Qrow had mixed feeling, he was happy to see that spark of life in her eyes, but bitter that it was for those two and not her family. "Your dad didn't think it'd be right to turn them away after they saved your life, and they promised you wouldn't run away if they were here."

"I would… I would like to see them, please." Ruby's voice and gaze softened as she looked to Qrow. In her heart, Ruby felt a small ember of hope.

"Of course you would." Qrow muttered darkly as he turned and walked out the door… leaving Ruby alone.

 _They're here… the only people who I don't have to feel like a monster around, the people from my life with Roman. My big sister Neo and… Mercury._ The smallest and most fragile of smiles brightened her face as she raised her mug a took a small sip of the warm milk, the sensation of it heating her up from the inside was a small and simple pleasure that even in this dark time, still made her happy.

Her heart began racing in her chest as she heard footsteps ascending the stairs to her bedroom. One set heavy, one set light, and one that seemed to trail just behind them. She felt panic and anxiety flaring within her. _How… how can I face Neo after I- after I let Roman…_

"First door on the right." Qrow's voice was sharp and defensive, he wasn't happy. Without a word the two sets of footsteps walked down the hall and Ruby braced herself.

Neo and Mercury both at once came to a stop at her open door staring at Ruby as she stared back at them. Ruby felt her nausea and headache returning as her stress increased. Mercury's expression was all but unreadable, but she could swear she saw the slightest hint of relief in his eyes… Neo however, before Ruby could gauge how she felt, she dipped her head, her bangs obscuring her eyes… then, Ruby felt her heart breaking as she watched tears roll down her pale cheeks.

"Neo… I-"

Before Ruby could say another word Neo rushed forward, nearly falling over the bed as she threw her arms around Ruby, almost knocking the mug from her hands as she pulled her adopted little sister close, resting her forehead on the side of Ruby's head, her tears soaking into her red tipped black hair. As the shock wore off, ruby put her warm milk on the nightstand by her bed… and relaxed, letting a wistful smile form from her lips and before she knew it… she was crying too.

She felt Neo's body convulse against her own as she silently sobbed. Even with the pain the filled her heart, she felt happiness in their embrace. As they cried together, Ruby extricated her arm and brought her hand to rest atop Neo's head and gently rubbed her hand over her soft pink and brown hair. Soon, the sobs and trembling quelled with her soft touch and the two held each other, Ruby letting the warmth from her big sister and mentor wash over her.

Mercury smiled as he leaned against the door frame, his arms folded over his chest as he watched their reunion. Decided to give them the time they needed before they talked. After several minutes, Neo reluctantly pulled away, wiping her tears away and regaining her composure, but her warm a genuine smile never left her face.

"Mercury," Ruby looked up at him, her eyes wide and red from crying, but the worry in them was unmistakable as she beckoned him to join them. He walked up to them with a carefree grin, hoping to alleviate some of Ruby's stress… but it didn't seem to work. "I- I'm happy you're here but… why are you here? Both of you?! What happened that night?! Where Emerald and Cinder?! You should all be on the run, Weiss and Thistle both know you're involved, what-"

"Ruby," She was immediately silenced as Mercury put his hand on top of her head. "Don't stress yourself out. If you promise to stay calm, I'll tell you everything I can."

"Alright." Ruby took a few deep, steadying breaths, steeling herself for whatever she may here. She looked up to Mercury and gave an affirming nod. "I'm ready."

"Okay then," He pulled his hand from her head and sat himself down on the bed beside her. "I was already on my way to you when I saw Ironwood's ship crash, Emerald too and then… we saw that light from on top of Beacon, where Cinder was. We got up there as fast as we could… but we were too late. The Grimm Dragon was frozen, like it was turned to stone, Torchwick was dead and Cinder… she was hurt, badly."

"Cinder… but how?" A dark foreboding crept into her heart.

"That light, from your silver eyes, that's what did it." Mercury admitted with a heavy sigh. "I- I didn't know what to do, Cinder was knocked out, you were too I just stood there between both of you. I knew Cinder wouldn't be happy the next time she saw you… Emerald knew that too… that's when she told me to take you and run."

"You mean…" Ruby eyes widened as she looked up to him. _He left Cinder… for me?_

"Anyway, I grabbed you and ran… I had no idea where I was going or what I would even do or- or if you'd even wake up." His voice trembled slightly, but he swallowed it down and continued. "That's when I ran into Neo, and she brought us here."

"Wait, how did you know about this place?" Ruby looked between Neo and Mercury, waiting for an answer.

"Apparently she'd known about this place for a while. If you ever decided to go back to your old life, she was going to help you escape." Mercury felt a pang of happiness as Ruby's eyes lit up.

"So, now you're all caught up… how about filling us in." Mercury's voice became more serious and his expression softened with worry and sadness. "You have your memories back?"

"Yes…" Ruby took a soft, shaky breath as she pulled her knees to her chest and hugged herself into a ball. "I remember everything."

"So… what does that mean, you know, for us?" Mercury's eyes stared into hers, she knew the deeper meaning behind his words, their last conversation… they promised to talk about how they felt for each other next time the met in person, but now wasn't the time.

"I don't know right now, so much has happened…" Ruby hugged herself tighter. "I can't give you an answer right now… but I'm really happy you're here."

"I understand." He closed his eyes for a moment before smiling softly at her. "So, what do we do now?"

"Now… I need to rest. But first," With all her strength, Ruby willed her body to move. She felt so weak even pulling herself out of bed was difficult. Still, she pushed herself forward, Mercury and Neo looking worried as they stood beside her, ready to catch her should she fall. "There's something I have to do, you two wait here."

Neo and Mercury exchanged a worried glance but Ruby didn't leave any time for debate as she made her way out the door, supporting her body against the wall as she made her way into the hallway.

Her whole body felt at once numb and consumed with pain and weakness. She almost laughed at the familiar feeling as she dragged her shoulder along the wall. _This is just like when I first woke up after losing my memory, in that cold, dark room before Roman first spoke to me._

She was breathing heavily, straining herself just to push off from the wall as she stood before a familiar door. She closed her eyes and summoned up all of her resolve and then, she grabbed the doorknob… and opened the door.

"Yang…"


	44. Fall and Rise: Part 6

"Yang…" Ruby whispered as she entered her sister's bedroom, closing the door behind her. Yang sat up in her bed, staring out the window.

"So, your memories are back?" The cold neutrality in her voice made Ruby's heart ache, but she knew this would be painful… still, she pressed forward.

"Yes." Ruby admitted solemnly as she walked up to her sister's bedside.

"That's great." Yang wasn't even trying to hide the bitterness behind her words, still, she didn't turn to face her little sister.

"Yang I-" Ruby's words died on her lips, her silver eyes widened and her jaw dropped, a painful tightness gripped her chest as she stared down at her sister. "Your arm…"

Yang whipped her head around, her eyes burned red with pure rage as she bared her teeth towards her sister. Ruby could feel the waves of heat rolling off of her as her Semblance flared with her fury, forcing her girl to stagger back and Yang jumped out of bed and loomed over her, glaring at her with malice and pain.

"This! This is what happens when you do what you did Ruby!" She stomped forward, forcing Ruby back as she descended into a furious tirade. "I don't want to hear that pity in your voice! Not after everything you've done!"

"I- I-" Ruby quivered beneath her sister's glare until her back hit the door.

"This is your fault!" Yang's roared, leaning over Ruby, her arm stretched out, propping her up against the door and trapping Ruby, the smaller girl shrinking back as much as she could. "You did this! All for what?! To free a criminal?! Do you know what he did as soon as he was free!? Whatever he did to those Atlas robots, it killed people Ruby! People are dead… so many people… and it's your fault."

"M-my arm… it's gone, forever. Thistle is still in the hospital. Weiss was taken back with her father and Blake has disappeared. Penny and Pyrrha… they're both dead… and you… you're responsible." Tears pooled in her burning crimson eyes, her teeth still bared and her jaw clenched. Her fist balled up against the cool wood of the door, she had so much pain and rage… and her sister was the only target she had, so she poured it all out on her.

"Your regret isn't going to bring back Penny or Pyrrha, your guilt isn't going to save Thistle and your apologies won't bring my arm back!" With all her strength Yang punched down, her fist flying only an inch from Ruby's head before it smashed through the thick wooden door, sending splinters flying into Ruby's hair and leaving her staring in stunned fear as Yang's rage boiled over, her breath was heavy and labored and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I did what I had to do for Roman. I'm not sorry." Ruby's silver eyes were deadly cold and her expression became unreadable as she stared unyielding into Yang's. A sudden, sharp pain shot through her head, forcing her to wince, her hand raising up, covering her eyes as she put her hand to her scar where the intense pain radiated from. _W-what was that?_

"Get out…" Yang's voice was quiet and disturbingly calm as she pulled her fist from the hole she made in the door, her head lowered, her bangs obscuring her eyes as her entire body trembled.

"Yang… I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean-"

"Get out!" Yang scream as her aura flared with immense rage, the force sent a gust of burning air out through the entire room!

Without waiting to see what would happen if she stayed Ruby immediately fled, rushing out the door and slamming it behind her, still clutching her head in her hand. The sharp pain felt like lightning through her brain… but it was nothing compared to the turmoil she felt in her heart.

"Ruby…" She looked up to see Mercury and Neo standing in the hallway with worry and empathy.

"I- I'm fine." Ruby knew she wasn't at all convincing, still, she didn't have the strength to lie well. Shakily she forced her hand from her head back to her side and weakly started walking back down the hall to her room.

"Yeah, you totally look fine." Mercury followed close behind her with Neo in toe.

"We're going after Cinder!" Ruby growled as she staggered into her bedroom, her breathing heavy and quivering and her heart pounding in her chest. The electric pain in her head finally subsiding.

"To do what?" Mercury cocked his eyebrow as he and Neo went into her room, closing the door behind them as Ruby collapsed into her bed. "Fight her or join her? Either way it's probably suicide."

"I don't know yet." Ruby said simply, the pain in her head flaring up again. "I need to rest. Send my dad in here, I'll make sure he doesn't kick you two out. Once I'm better… we'll leave."

"You sure?" Mercury looked to Neo, she looked as worried as he did, and felt just as helpless.

"Yeah." Ruby rolled over, turning away from them as she brought her blanket over her. After a moment of hesitation she heard the door open… and then shut, leaving her alone with a growing pain in her head.

 _I need to find out where I belong. I'll find Cinder, make her tell me everything… and then I'll decide. I- I can't feel right anywhere until I can make sense of everything that's happened… and everything I've done._

Curling up into a ball, Ruby clutched her head with both hands, trembling under the covers as she squeezed her eyes shut, a vain attempt to stop the tears that flowed from them.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, this is it, the end of the first arc. I'd like to thank everyone who's been reading and leaving reviews, it's helped me stay motivated to keep up my daily release schedule up to this point! I hope you've all enjoyed it and I do plan on continuing into Vol 4, though I may relegate this story to a weekend project in favor of a new fic I've recently started. Still, I hope you'll continue to enjoy this story as I still have some fun things planned for the coming volume!**

 **Oh, and apparently people haven't been getting update notifications when I post a new chapter recently, I don't know what's up with that but I'll try and get it fixed!**


	45. Towards a New Beginning

"This is it…" Ruby sighed as she knelt down on the floor, staring into a large wooden box lined with foam, inside which lay two very familiar weapons. One was her Crescent Rose, just as she remembered it except for the dust that had built up on it. The other was her Inferno Crescent, the weapon soaked with blood she had spilled for Roman Torchwick, the criminal that had taken her in after she lost her memories.

 _Right now, both of my pasts seem so distant, so detached from the me that I am now. When I think back, all the things I've done, all the hopes and ambitions and feelings… they feel like I'm reading from someone else's story, whether I'm looking back to my past before I lost my memory, or the past that started when I woke up as Roman's hostage, they feel like neither are real. I hate that feeling._ She felt it again, that electric like pain… ever since the last time she spoke to Yang… far too long ago, she had been getting that pain every time she thought about her pasts, and who or what she had become.

Suddenly, a gentle touch shook her from her dismal thoughts. Neo crouched down behind her, her eyes soft with worry for the last person in the world she considered to be family. It had be her that retrieved her Inferno Crescent and brought her and Mercury back to her old home. Now, she was dedicated to protecting the small, fragile looking girl before her, just as she had promised Roman… no matter what.

"Okay, I get it. It's time to go anyway." Numbly, she closed the box that contained her two folded up scythes, clicking it shut with the two locks on either side. Along the length of the box were two straps, with one last tired sigh she put her arm through one strap, slinging the container over her shoulder before putting her other arm through it like a backpack.

Ruby took one last look at Neo, her adoptive sister hadn't stopped looking worried for her since she woke up. It made her feel guilty, and in turn that made her angry, what was she supposed to feel? She wasn't sure, she didn't like making Neo fret over her, but the energy and happiness Ruby once had was largely gone, now her once bright silver eyes were dull and exhausted.

"Come on, we've got a long trip ahead of us." She tried to smile to ease Neo's worry, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. _I guess I'm not good at faking happy._

Still, Neo followed behind her as they left her room, Ruby only stopping once to grab something that sat atop her dresser. It was a black bowler hat with a red band wrapped around it and a feather tucked neatly into the band… it was Roman's hat. Without stopping Ruby put it on her head. Neo looked at her from behind, Ruby's red and black cape trailed behind her as she walked into the hallway, seeing that hat on her… it took everything she had not to cry. Still, she pushed her feelings down, and closed the door behind them.

They had rested long enough, winter was nearly passed, and the air outside had a subtle warmth to it. In the entire time they'd been there, Ruby had not once more spoken to her sister and barely exchanged words with her father, preferring the company of Neo and Mercury, though even then the mood around her was dismal. She couldn't blame her, Neo herself wouldn't have been able to hold herself together after losing Roman if it weren't for the fact that she had to stay strong for Ruby.

As they descended the stairs and entered the living room Mercury stood up from the couch, his eyes meeting Ruby's for only a moment before she continued to the front door with him following close behind beside Neo. Ruby's father had let them stay, Mercury and Neo helped with daily tasks and chores. Neo had largely taken up doing laundry and dishes and cleaning while Mercury helped with firewood, repairing anything mechanical and preparing meals, much to their surprise, he was actually a really good cook. All the while Ruby was resting, recovering from her battles the night Beacon fell.

As they opened the front door cool air rushed in. The trio stepped outside, the snow around them had melted to slush as the cloudless sky let the sun's warm rays fall to the ground. Ruby closed her eyes, taking a long, deep breath of the fresh winter air as Mercury closed the door behind them.

"So, are you really sure about this? Me staying here while you two go back to Vale?" He'd been dubious ever since Ruby told them the plan, but she seemed set on the idea, no matter how bad of an idea he thought it was.

"We're just heading into the slums to find an old friend of Roman's, we'll be back in no more than two weeks." Ruby's face lit up in a rare smile as she looked up to a less than unsatisfied Mercury.

"And I'm staying here with your father and rage filled, PTSD riddled sister because?" He folded his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow at her, but her smile didn't waver.

"Because I think you can help her." She said it so simply, he wondered if she knew how impossible it sounded to him.

"What, just because we both lost limbs?" Mercury looked almost offended.

"No, I think you can help her because you're you, though the limb thing might not be a bad place to start." Ruby gave a soft giggle as she took a step closer to him, bringing her within only inches of her dubious teammate.

"So who died and made you leader?" He narrowed his eyes at her, still she saw right through him as she tilted her head, her eyes brightening playfully as she smirked.

"Do you have a problem with it?" Ruby made her voice as sweet and innocent as possible, playing with Mercury was one of the few things that made her feel like herself again, so she was going to enjoy it as much as she could.

"Not really." He gave a resigned shrugged, much to Ruby's disappointment. "I mean, you are the reason I'm here so I can get behind you being the leader, whatever you decide to do, but I still think you're overestimating my abilities as a shrink for your sister."

"Or maybe you're underestimating yourself." Her smile faded and her voice grew serious as the silver of her eyes chilled colder than the snow. "I think you can help her, so since you said I'm your leader, I want you to do everything you can for her because, when Neo and I come back… I want the four of us to go after Cinder together."

"Oh, and here I thought me helping your sister get over getting her arm cut off was the crazy part of your plan." With one hand on his hip he rubbed the back of his head, if it were anyone else he'd say they were crazy… this plan was crazy, but Ruby had a way of making things work out. _Besides… I want to follow her, because I- I…_

"You'll see, things will come together. By the time we get back, I have a feeling we'll all be ready to go." Her smile returned, softer and warmer as she looked into his eyes.

"Oh, and Mercury, about what we were supposed to talk about." Ruby folded her arms behind her back and she smiled at him as he began to blush lightly.

"Yeah, what about-"

His brain was brought to a grinding halt as Ruby stood up on her toes, closing the distance between them. Their lips met, hers soft and warm and his more dry and cracked from working outside in the cold, still, it made Ruby's chest fill with a blissful warmth as after a moment… he kissed her back.

"I like you." Ruby finally said as she pulled back from her, her heart pounding and her cheeks almost as red as his.

"I- I like you too…" He looked completely floored, reeling from the sudden kiss. As he looked down at her blushing face, he couldn't help but think how cute she looked at that moment. _Okay, probably won't tell Yang about this until after whatever Ruby expects to go right happens… or never, never sounds good._

"We have to go now. Take care of Yang for me and be ready to go when we get back." For the first time in a long time, Ruby felt strong, empowered and above all… hopeful.

As she turned around, with one last smiling wave, she joined Neo, laughing lightly at the glare she directed at her boyfriend before turning back she and Ruby began walking down the path leading away from their home, a crow flew overhead seeming to follow them as they left. Mercury stood alone, waving to them until his hands fell to his sides.

 _So, I guess I better get started._


	46. A Growing Divide

Pissed off, that's how she'd describe her mood. It's not a description she would have ever used before she lost her memories, but it's how she felt as she walked through the slums of Vale. The people in power left the slums to fend for themselves after the fall of Beacon. She'd seen more people sleeping on the streets than she could count, almost no home had power and those that did were being eyed enviously by the desperate people outside. Even though winter was all but over, the nights would still get cold and she was sure that many people had died sleeping outside. It made her burn with anger… much of it at herself. Still, she couldn't help but notice the disproportionate amount of faunus living in the ghetto, so maybe the White Fang were on to something.

Ruby and Neo had a long, hard trek just to get to Vale. They couldn't use any official means of transportation, they were wanted criminals, at least Ruby was. They had to charter a private boat to the mainland from Patch, then walk the rest of the wait, staying away from the city where the Huntsman and Huntresses kept the Grimm at bay. Now that they had made it the the ghetto, they faced a whole new set of problems, they didn't exactly blend in, two small women in ornate outfits, one carrying not only a large box on her back but also a briefcase in her hand.

"Hey!" Deep voice echoed behind them.

Ruby rolled her eyes in exasperation as she turned around. About half a dozen punks, little more than teenagers, all looked at them like hungry predators, their knives drawn. The one in the middle who appeared to be the leader, he was a deer faunus with antlers coming out of his head… and the White Fang's symbol on his t-shirt.

"Let me guess, you want our stuff or you'll hurt us?" Ruby sighed, adjusting the heavy box on her back.

"Damn straight kid… in fact, why don't we take your things, and then you two pretty ladies can stay and keep us entertained." He snickered, his pals cackling along with him like loyal idiots.

"See, we run this part of town red and-"

 _ **Whooosh!**_

He didn't even get to finish another word before Ruby blitzed forward, closing the gap between them. Before he knew what happened Ruby twisted his hand painfully so he dropped his knife, as he let out a grunt of pain, Ruby grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, twisting it in her fist as she raised it up. Her deadly cold silver eyes burned into his as she choked him with his own shirt, raising him up effortlessly off the ground.

"You do not get to call me that." Ruby growled, tightening her grip, making him struggle pathetically for air. There was that pain again, a sensation like lightning through her brain so sharp it almost made her lose her grip, but a hot rage that burned inside kept her going, squeezing it just a little tighter as his face turned red.

"Get out of here." She dropped him, letting him crumple to the ground as he gasped for air. The electric pain was almost unbearable now, her fists clenched at her sides to fight through the pain.

"You bitch!" He growled, his hand reaching down for his knife… before the bones in his fingers snapped loudly and painfully as they were smashed against the ground by the end of an umbrella.

"Uh-oh, you made Neo angry, you really should run because I'm not going to try and stop her." Ruby grinned, the deer faunus clutching his hand, grimacing in agony, his compatriots already long gone.

"Y-you're going to regret this!" He stood shakily, clutching his hand as he glared at the two girls before running off with his metaphorical tail between his legs.

Neo wore her characteristic smug grin as she brought her parasol over her shoulder. However her smile vanished, replaced with panic as she looked to her adoptive sister. Ruby stood with her eyes looking to the ground, one hand held over the scar on her forehead as she look shallow, rapid breaths. She looked like she was in excruciating pain as she trembled in place, her face growing pale as she clutched her head harder, her other hand balled into a fist so she could purposely dig her nails into her palms in the hope of distracting her from what felt like a lightning bolt frying her brain.

"I- I'm fine…" Her voice was choked with pain and Neo knew she was anything but fine. Neo reached out her hand towards Ruby's head, a loving gesture they had shared whenever Ruby needed comforting, but before she could reacher, Ruby pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I'm fine… I'm fine now." With a few more shaky breaths, the pain began to subside and the chill in her voice seemed to leave with it, leaving her sounding afraid, but otherwise normal.

"W-we should get going, we probably don't want to be stuck here at night huh?" She put on a smile but it didn't seem to make Neo look any less worried. Still, she gave a tepid nod, following her leader as they made their way to their destination.

The pair continued down the dilapidated streets, looking for what would be one of the few houses with electricity. An unassuming building among many others like it, a place Roman had only told her about in passing, but Neo knew the way, apparently the woman they were looking for was a big deal in the underground.

"This is it?" Ruby raised an eyebrow at Neo who simply nodded. It was hard to differentiate if from the homes that surrounded it, a dusty old place with barred up windows and an unkempt lawn with a concrete path running through it to the front porch that was littered with clutter.

"Okay, I guess there's no point standing out here anymore." Ruby felt nervousness and fear in the pit of her stomach, but still she pressed forward, walking down the stone path with Neo behind her.

With three evenly spaced knocks at the door, Ruby waited… nothing. For a moment, she feared they had gotten the wrong place somehow, or perhaps someone of their means had fled to a more stable kingdom. _What would we do then?_

However her thoughts were cut short as she heard heavy footsteps echoed through the home, slowly approaching the door. The door shook as lock after lock was opened before the old metal knob creaked and jiggled. A moment later, it opened, and a large, bulky, muscular dog faunus woman wearing a tan leather apron singed with burns stood in the doorway, glaring down at them with dark brown eyes, her arms folded over her chest.

"Um, hello." Ruby smiled sheepishly.

"Go away kid, this isn't a daycare." She growled menacingly, but Ruby kept her cool.

"Well, actually, I'm here on business." Ruby lifted up the briefcase she had lugged all the way there after retrieving it in Vale. Steadying it along her forearm she used her free hand to carefully open it… revealing a very substantial amount of Lien, money she had saved from her missions with Torchwick.

"Go on…" She said cautiously, her eyes fixed on the case literally filled to the brim with Lien. As usual, money talks.

"Well, you see, you made one of the scythes that it's in this box here." Ruby gesture to it with a jerk of her head. "There's another scythe in there made at Signal academy, I'm hoping you'll be able to take the metals from both of them to make me a new weapon."

"You said scythe?" For a moment, she looked genuinely surprised… and then surprise was burned away with hostility. "You're that pipsqueak Roman was hanging around with before he kicked the bucket! Forget it, I'm not getting mixed up with anything or anyone that he got himself involved with. Now, get out before I introduce you and your diminutive friend there to the inside of my furnace!"

"I think you misunderstood me." For an instant she felt the lighting pain returned with greater intensity, causing her to flinch in pain… and then her voice grew dark as she looked up at Crucible with deathly cold eyes. "It wasn't a request."

The weapon smith could feel the chill in her spine as the small girl glared at her. Behind Ruby, Neo pulled her blade from her umbrella, her worried eyes never leaving her adoptive sister as she stepped forward, forcing Crucible back. There was an ominous silence after they entered the house, only the sound of locks clicking shut echoed out… until agonized screams filled the neighborhood.


	47. What You Need

The house was quiet… uncomfortably so. Mercury sat alone on the couch, nervously tapped one foot against the hardwood floor in the living room to generate some kind of noise to break the monotonous silence. It had been the most awkward week of his life after Ruby and Neo left him with his seemingly impossible mission.

 _Okay, Dad is away, weird drunk uncle disappeared when Ruby and Neo left… I guess we have the house to ourselves._ He let out a long, reluctant sigh, tension building in his chest as he forced himself to stand.

"Guess I if there was ever a right time, this would be it." He shrugged, jamming his hands into his pockets as he walked slowly to the stairs.

If he was being honest, he had actually enjoyed his time living with Ruby and her family. It was nothing like the home he grew up in, nothing like the family he'd ever known… Cinder's included. It was warm. Ruby, Neo and even Ruby's father liked his cooking, once he even said that Yang liked it, though she never ate with them. He had to do a lot of work, but it wasn't anything hard, and he actually didn't mind fixing things and cooking was fun. Plus he enjoyed all the time he spent with Ruby, he remembered playing cards with her and Neo at night, video games, the night he and Ruby watched the stars alone together from her window. All in all, he had a good time.

"And now I've got to go and ruin it all for my girlfriend's crazy plan." He sighed again as he summitted the final step, coming to a stop in the upstairs hallway.

 _She's really overestimating me, I'm not exactly the warm, fuzzy comforting type person, plus she knows about my involvement with Cinder and the fall of Beacon… not to mention what happened in the tournament._ His apprehension almost took him over as he stopped at her door. The house was empty except for the two of them, he knew it would just be him and Yang for several hours. _Might as well get this over with._

"Hey," He turned the knob and opened the door. For a moment, the two just stared at each other in numb confusion… and then anger flashed in her eyes.

"Get out." Yang spat in a low growl before returning to staring blankly out the window beside her bed.

"Make me." At Mercury's challenge Yang turned back to him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"What did you say?" The calm and numbness in her voice even gave Mercury chills. _Oh well, I've come this far and Ruby ordered me to do it so she can't hold it against me if I do this my way._

"I said come over here and make me, if you can." He smirked mockingly as he looked down at her.

Her eyes were scorched a deep crimson as she jumped out of her bed, her face contorted in rage. Mercury braced himself as she rushed across the room, grabbing him by his collar and with frighteningly little effort she lifted him off the ground. She twisted her body, ready to throw a devastating, rage filled punch right at his face… but then, she remembered. Her body relaxed and her eyes cooled back to dull lilac as her depression snuffed out her rage.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Mercury grabbed her wrist and twisted it, forcing her to release him before unleashing a powerful kick right at her stomach, sending Yang flying across the room, coming to a loud and painful stop as she slammed into the wall before crumpling onto the floor with a grunt of pain.

"Pathetic." He shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked over to Yang who was struggling to get off the floor, having the wind knocked out of her by his his kick. She was panting for breath as she held herself up with just one arm and her knees.

As she looked up at him, a familiar terror gripped her as he stood, glaring down from above her. Yang's heart began to pound her in her chest and her body felt tight with tension and fear and Mercury looked down at her with only disgust. With his hands still in his pockets he lashed out with another hard kick her her side, compressing her ribs and again crumpling her to the floor.

"W-why are you doing this to- Gah!" Yang let out a yelp of pain as Mercury pulled her up by her hair before slamming her against the wall, his eyes deadly cold as he looked into hers. He could feel her trembling with fear… and that pissed him off.

"What happened to the girl that kicked my ass in the tournament huh?!" He smashed her head into the wall before pulling her back, dragging her onto her bed, her hair still held painfully in his fist, still she didn't fight back. _I guess I'm going to have to stop going easy on her._

With a sigh he let go of her hair, they booth stood on her bed, he could still feel her shaking. His body relaxed and his expression became more neutral… then he kicked her as hard as he could in her chest, throwing her back with enough force to throw her out of the window. Broken glass scattered around the room right before he heard her body hit the ground. Kicking away a few protruding shards he stepped to the window… and jumped.

The air was cool but all the snow had melted, the ground squished beneath his feet as he landed gracefully from his leap out the window. C _rap, their Dad isn't going to be happy that I broke a window. Oh well, if this doesn't work the window will be the least of my problems, he'll kill me for trying to kill his daughter._

Suddenly, the air felt heavy with a familiar pressure. His focus fell on the girl before him, her aura was flaring intensely, her body surrounded in a hot glow as her Semblance and rage reached explosive levels. Staggering to her feet, Yang glared back at him, her face and body had cuts all over and her mouth tasted like blood, but still… she felt powerful.

Mercury took a fighting stance, a chill ran down his spine at the fury emanating off of her but still, he couldn't help but grin. This was it, this was the girl that kicked his ass, the fire that gave her strength had returned and she looked like her arm was the furthest thing from her mind as her eyes burned into him with murderous intent.

"Aaaaah!" With an echoing battle cry Yang changed at him, her fist reared back as she rapidly closed in.

She swung her fist down with all the strength of her Semblance and after the beating she took, she had plenty of strength to dish out. However, he wasn't stupid enough to take it head on, Mercury raised one arm up as he sidestepped her punch, pushing away her arm with his forearm!

Mercury brought his knee up, ready to give another powerful hit to her already bruised chest… but Yang beat him to it, delivering a hard kick to his lower stomach, sending him staggering backward, recoiling from the blow. Still, she didn't relent, with a defiant scream she swung down her fist at his head… he didn't move away in time, the punch to a chunk of his aura as it plowed him into the dirt.

 _Okay, she's definitely pissed. I'll give her a few more hits to make up for kicking her out the window and then I'll put her down._ He pulled his face from the ground and slowly got up, Yang being kind enough to wait until he was almost recovered before taking another swing. He fist hit him like a truck, but this time he managed to stay on his feet as he skidded along the wet ground. He huffed for the breath that had been knocked out of him as she charged at him again. _Maybe just one more hit._

Her next attack came in the next instant as as brought her leg up in a wide sweep before hammering the back of her heel down at his shoulder, doing another impressive blow to his aura as he was sent back to kissing the ground. Yang stood above him, huffing with rage, her Semblance glowing brightly as she waited for him to get up.

"Alright… my turn." He got to his feet again, standing only inches from Yang as they glared at each other.

Then Yang attacked, aiming a punch right at his face, but Mercury intercepted, kicking her arm away before bringing his leg low for a kick to her chest. However his foot met air as she stepped out of the way, coming to his side before throwing another punch at his face. Turning to his side he avoided her punch before slamming his foot into her knee with a powerful kick, getting a yelp of pain before her Semblance flared even more intensely!

As their fight raged on and Mercury scored blow after blow her attacks only grew greater in magnitude. Yang compensated for her missing arm by adding more kicks into her attacks. Even without her gauntlets and even with only one arm… she was still fearsome. _Yeah, but still, she's not as strong as the last time we fought, and that's good enough for me._

Yang threw another wild, powerful swing at him, this time an uppercut aimed at his chest. Mercury seized his chance, instead of dodging he directed her fist by hitting her elbow with his knee sending her punch up just before it would have hit him! In a blur of gray and black he took a note from Ruby's playbook and twirled himself around his opponent, coming back to back with her.

 **Bang!**

He sent a blast from his boot point blank into the back of her knee, toppling her while he spun to face her, putting his boot at her back and unleashing another blast, the shock wave took out her remaining aura as she slammed into the ground. He stood victorious, one boot on her back as she lay face down in the dirt.

"You're out of shape." He said simply as he stepped off her her, plopping himself down beside her as he lay in the damp grass, staring up at the cloudy sky.

"Why are you doing this?" Yang's body burned, her rage still hot and unsatisfied… but she couldn't keep fighting. It took all her strength to shakily force herself onto her back, laying beside her attacker as they stared at the clouds together.

"Apparently Ruby thought I could help you." He shrugged. "That and, I guess I see a little bit of me in you or whatever. I get what you're going through at least."

"How could you possibly understand what I'm going through?" Yang huffed bitterly, still catching her breath and slowing her heart rate.

"Right, you don't know." He sat up as much as he could without actually getting up, bringing his knee to his chest before pulling up his pant leg, revealing the metal prosthetic underneath. "This is how."

"So, that's how you did it." She sighed, her rage flaring up even more. "You shouldn't still be walking after what I did to your leg in the tournament, guess that wasn't real either."

"Well if it makes you feel any better these are expensive to fix, so it still hurt in a way." Mercury pulled his pant leg down and laid his leg back on the ground.

"Makes me feel a little better." She admitted, almost wanting to smile… before she remembered exactly who she was laying next to. "How did that happen anyway? Your legs I mean."

"My dad was an abusive drunk. One night he took it too far. I ended up losing my legs, but at least I'm still breathing." He said it so casually, so detached… but for a moment, it actually made Yang sympathize.

"I'm sorry you went through that, but it doesn't take away what you've done. Because of what you and my sister did, people died, my friend and teammate is in the hospital and I- I lost my arm." Yang raised what was left her her arm… less than half of it was left still attached to her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Mercury got to his knees and swung his fist down at her face. Thankfully, her reflexes kicked in and she caught it only inches above her eyes, her heart was pounding again but as she looked to him… he just smiled.

"I'll kick your ass every time you start getting all emotional over that arm." His smile faded and his expression grew stark. "It's gone, deal with it, otherwise you'll end up losing a whole lot more than an arm."

"How do you just get over something like this?" She released his fist, her arms falling to the ground as he sat up beside her.

"You don't get over it, not really, you just deal with it." He sighed, rubbing his metal leg with one hand as he looked at the stump where her arm was severed. "The phantom pains, the nightmares… or worse, the dreams where you still have your whole body, they don't go away, they didn't for me anyway. I just deal with it."

"How?" She looked at him earnestly, hoping he could provide some kind of answer.

"Well you know, by being a smug, detached smart ass." Mercury laughed halfheartedly. "Honestly, it sucks, you're not going to come out of this the same as you were, just hope you don't turn out like me."

"Look," Mercury's tone became more serious as he stood up over Yang, his hand stretched out to her. "Ruby wants you on her team, I want Ruby to get what she wants. In the spirit of that, I promise I'll kick your ass when you need it."

"A lot of people died because of you two, I can't just look past that." Yang got up, on her own, rejecting his hand, still, he couldn't help but smirk at her, feeling strangely a little proud.

"Yeah well, we'll work on that in your next session."


	48. Crisis of Self

_"_ _W-where am I?" Her soft voice echoed in the pitch darkness that surrounded her. It was strange, she felt like she should be afraid… but she wasn't._

 _'_ _I feel… warm… and wet.' Her thoughts seemed to echo even louder than her voice as she focused on the warmth spattered all over her body. The warmth was… a very familiar sensation, carrying a very distinctive scent and at once she knew what it was and yet, she still didn't feel afraid._

 _Her body felt frozen in place, but she could still move her head. Despite a powerful compulsion screaming at her not to… she looked down. Somehow, despite the dark, she could see her own body perfectly. She was completely naked, standing in the middle of what seemed to be a never ending void, in her hands her scythe was held in front of her, Inferno Crescent and both she and it… were soaked in blood._

 _Even as scarlet drops fell from the shining metal edge of her blade, even as she felt the warmth of blood that was not her own, she did not feel afraid, not even disgusted… just numb. Her hands were soaked in it, the scent was so repulsively strong it made her nauseous, but she was paralyzed, completely helpless to do anything except stare as slowly, drop after drop fell from her blade._

 _Then, something caught her eyes, her head shot up and finally, she felt the intense, unimaginable fear that she knew she should have felt. Two glowing silver eyes pierced the void, staring at her from only feet away. Her entire body trembled, but she couldn't run or scream or even fight. She just stood there helplessly as they eyes grew closer until their owner stepped out from the shadows._

 _It was her… except they were different, their eyes were deathly cold. She too was naked, but her body was clean, pale porcelain skin untainted by the dark red that covered her terrified counterpart. Her double's cold eyes looked up and down slowly over her before she took another step closer._

 _She could feel her heart pounding in her tight chest as her terror consumed her. Her double reached out her hand and gentle brushed aside her red tipped bangs. She could feel her double's cool hand tenderly move over her scar… before it descended, wiping away the blood that stained her skin._

 _Silently her double took her now blood soaked hand and wiped it on herself, maring her clean, pure form with crimson before bringing both hands back to her other's body, slowly and with great care, she wiped away the blood, painting herself with her stains until her counterpart was all but clean._

 _Still she felt terrified of her doubt, even as she washed her clean, taking the burden away and putting it on herself, she felt nothing but pure horror every time she looked into those dead, chilling silver eyes._

 _The double reached out with both blood stained hands, gently taking the shaft of her scythe before pulling it away. It was only as she felt it leaving her hands that she realized just how heavy it had been her entire body felt lighter and more free. She still couldn't move her legs but shakily, she let her arms fall to her side._

 _She was clean of blood now, her skin pure while her double looked almost exactly like she had before she showed up, holder her scythe and now unmoving, her dark, cold eyes fixed on hers as she held the scythe. Then… the void began to relent and what she saw in the darkness made her collapse in fear and disgust._

 _Bodies were piled all around her, more than she could count. She recognized the closest one, a man with his belly split open… it was Tukson, the first person that she had killed. Tears rolled down her cheeks as chilling screams of pain began echoing from the far reaches of the field of bodies._

 _"_ _Aaah!" She screamed, almost entirely drowned out by the cries around her as she clutched her head, an unbearable electric pain surged through her head, emanating from her scar. She trembled as her agony grew and grew, her double before her standing like a statue except for her eyes which glared down at her counterpart._

 _"_ _Make it stop! Make it stop!" She could barely hear herself over the now deafening chorus of screams. All around her the space she found herself glowed hot orange as fire began to rapidly consume the bodies, screams grew louder and more desperate as the flames encroached._

 _The fire grew greater and greater, the screams snuffed out by the blaze that she now felt licking at her body. Above her she watched her double become consumed, still she remained stoic, her cold eyes never faltering._

"No!" Ruby screamed, bolting up in her bed, her body drenched in sweat and her heart pounding in her chest as she gasped for breath.

Beside her Neo had sat up in bed beside her, looking terrified for a moment and then, but then fear gave way to deep concern as she looked to Ruby. The young girl was shaking, Neo could feel it through their small bed and even in the dark she could see her clutching her scar the side of her forehead.

As Ruby huffed for breath she desperately tried to forget her nightmare. Then, she felt a soft touch wrapping around her, Ruby flinched for a moment before she was pulled back down, coming to rest again on the bed, held tenderly in Neo's arms. She could hear Neo breathing slowly and calmly, and in time, Ruby followed along, her breaths coming to match her adoptive sister's until her heart began to slow and she felt an uneasy calm began to replace the unbridled terror she woke up with.

Cradled in Neo's arms, Ruby found herself feeling safe and after nearly an hour… she fell back asleep knowing that she was safe.

* * *

Pancake batter sizzled and hissed as Taiyang poured it onto the hot pan. Things had been quiet with Ruby and her friend Neo gone, though he learned that Neo didn't add much noise to their home. Still, as strange as it was, he grew accustomed to having them in his home, not to mention they made housework a lot easier. He almost turned them away when they first arrived at his home with Ruby unconscious on Mercury's back, but he could see the caring in their eyes that they held for his daughter and they made a good point, she wouldn't run away if they were there.

"Hey dad." Yang said casually as she walked through the kitchen, her hair was tied back in a ponytail, she wore a gray jacket over an orange tank-top, the sleeve tied in a knot over her severed arm. She had a towel over her shoulders and a water bottle in hand.

"Good morning." He said cheerfully, trying to subdue his surprise. "Want some breakfast?"

"Maybe later, I'm going to spar with Mercury." She didn't look or sound happy, but she still seemed better than she had in a long time, there was a life in her eyes, a spark that was lost.

"Oh, okay, be safe, breakfast will be ready when you're done." He smiled as Yang walked to the front door, in her periphery he could see Mercury come into the kitchen.

"Thanks dad." Without another word she slipped on her shoes and went outside.

"What did you do?" Tai asked, stopping Mercury in his tracks as he turned to face the boy.

"Oh, you know, we just talked." Mercury laughed nervously, his hands on his hips as he looked at nothing in particular to avoid her father's gaze.

"Would that talk have anything to do with the window you fixed in her room." He smirked, turning the heat down on the stove as he raised an eyebrow at him.

"You really want to know?" His expression cool as their eyes met, Mercury tilting his head back slightly. A long, tense moment of silence stretched between them before finally Tai's smile softened, turning to the door his daughter had just left.

"Whatever you did, I'm just happy to see her starting to be okay again." Tai knew that the loss of her arm had as much an emotional toll as a physical one and that it would take a long time for her to truly be okay, but whatever Mercury had done, it seemed to have helped her a lot more than he could.

"She's tough, she'll be alright." Mercury's tone grew sullen for a moment before he shrugged and walked to the front door to join Yang outside. "Thanks for breakfast Pops, I'll do the dishes after."

"I told him not to call me that." He laughed halfheartedly, shaking his head as Mercury walked out the door. _I made the right call, letting them stay here._

It was warm out, the snow from only weeks ago seemed like a distant memory as the clear sky let the sun shine down, a warm breeze swept across lush green grass and budding trees. Mercury liked this kind of weather, he put the side of his hand to his forehead, shading his eyes from the direct light as he looked to the sky. A small, soft smile formed from his lips, he and Ruby shared a lot of moments that he remembered fondly when the two of them would stare up at the sky together… then a strange sadness filled his chest and once he realized why he was sad, that made him smile even brighter.

"It's been almost two weeks, they'll be coming back soon." He muttered to himself.

"Yeah, and then what?" Yang spoke up, staring at him, her expression stark and serious, but he could see it in her soft lavender eyes, a question, something she was hoping for, an answer he wasn't sure he had.

"Then we follow Ruby's crazy plan, we go after Cinder." His hand fell to his side and his smile faded. "What about you? Are you going to come with us, or abandon your sister?"

"She betrayed me!" Yang snarled indignantly, bearing her teeth as she glared at him. "She betrayed everyone! You and her caused a lot of people to die and neither of you even feel bad! Now you want to go find the person who was behind all of it, just so Ruby can decide whether she wants to join them or fight them!? My sister would already know the answer, my sister wouldn't even think of working with you, my sister wouldn't… she wouldn't feel nothing, about hurting so many people."

"You missed a lot of things after she lost her memory and started working for Torchwick." He sighed, putting his hands in his pockets as he walked up to her. "Neo has been with her pretty much the whole time, and I came in not long after. Still, I was there for a lot of things that you missed, I'd like to tell you some of those things. Like the first time she killed someone with her own hands, and how she's still haunted by it."

At that, Yang's eyes widened, her anger burned out as a confusing mix of emotions swirled within her. Her gaze fell as Mercury stood beside her and, after a long, deep breath, he began.

"Ruby hasn't changed, not really. She's still your sister and she cares about you, she left me behind because she knew both of us, and knew I could help you even when I thought I was the worst person for the job. I want you to know everything that happened after she lost her memory, so you can get an appreciation for her position, and the choices she made. Will you listen?"

He waited patiently, beside him he could hear Yang's breathing grow labored as she struggled to fight the emotions welling up within her. Her fist trembled at her side and her jaw clenched as she let anger eat up all the other things she didn't want to feel, but even so… she couldn't get away from the images that kept appearing in her mind. One was of her little sister smiling up at her as she read a bedtime story to help her sleep… the other was of a different Ruby, one that stared at her with chilling eyes, her flaming scythe pointed at her as the the train sped towards Vale. These two memories, she couldn't come to grips of that being the same person, a girl who wanted nothing more than to be a hero and help people, and the girl who helped bright about the fall of Beacon. Who was her little sister now… _and what will happen to her if I'm not there for her again?_

"Fine… I'll listen."


	49. Converging Paths

_What am I gonna do?_ Yang lay sprawled out on her bed staring up at the ceiling, she had been more than distressed and confused after the talk she had with Mercury a few days ago. _The things he told me… then there's what Torchwick said to me just before he got taken away after the failed attack on Vale. He said I was his backup plan, I mean, after what Mercury told me, it makes sense now. Torchwick really cared for Ruby and she really cared for him, she was lost, alone, afraid… she had nothing, not even her memories, and he gave her a purpose, and she didn't do it because she just turned evil or whatever, she did it because she came to care about him. When he told me I was his backup plan, he wanted me to protect her from Cinder, I guess he didn't trust her either._

With a heavy sigh she rolled onto her side, now staring at her door. _So, Ruby did all those terrible things because the people she cared for needed to do them for whatever plan Cinder had. Okay, going above and beyond for people she cares about does sound like Ruby but then… killing someone, with her own hands, taking a life, even if it was kinda in self defense, I can't see her doing that, but Mercury said he was right there with her. That must have been really traumatic for her, Mercury said she's still shaken by it, she had to go through that, and the only people there to comfort her or help her through it… Roman Torchwick, Neo, Emerald and Mercury. I- I wasn't there for her, and they were._

"I was looking for her, I tried to find her… I never stopped." She felt a pain going through her arm that had long since been severed, still, with a trembling breath, she calmed herself. _At the dance, I was having fun and it was Mercury that reached out to her when she was in Mountain Glenn, he called her, he told her about me being her sister, he was worried about her while I was enjoying the party._

"And then, we went to Mountain Glenn." She did not have fond memories of that place, though it was a picnic compared to the fall of Beacon. _I got captured and that was the first time I really came face to face with Torchwick, even then he was protective of Ruby, he said he didn't want anything to happen to her, he wanted her safe. Neo seemed very protective of her as well, she still does. The whole time they were here, I don't think Neo ever left Ruby's side for long. When I finally broke free and we got on that train… I got to talk to my little sister for the first time since she had been missing._

"She- she said she was lucky to have me as a sister…" Her fist balled in front of her as pain and anger swept through her body, her teeth gritted and tears clouded her eyes. _She wanted to protect Torchwick and Neo… from me, from my team, even though his plan was going to get a lot of people killed, she wanted to help him. Why? Because she cared about him? Then why didn't she try to stop him? He's dead now because of the path he chose and Ruby could have ended up the same way! If he cared for her… why didn't he push her away, to protect her?_

Yang curled herself up into a ball, hugging herself as tight as she could with her one arm. _I guess that's a bit hypocritical of me, being a Huntress is what cost me my arm, it put Thistle in the hospital… Pyrrha and Penny are both dead, it was part of the paths we chose and whether Ruby is a Huntress or a villain, she'll still be in danger. On the train, I could see she just wanted to protect the people who mattered to her, and with what Mercury told me, she put that above everything else, above her own safety… and above the lives of others._

"So… that's how someone so kind and so innocent copes with becoming a monster." Yang whispered bitterly. _I tried to get through to her, and for a second it seemed like she was herself, that smile… it was so familiar and then, it was gone, she became someone else before she blew me off that train, her eyes weren't the same. Maybe that colder, harder side of her is like a shield she put up to deal with everything she had to do for Torchwick?_

"Even after all that I still couldn't turn her in…" A soft smile formed from her lips and tears fell from her dull lilac eyes. _When she came back to Beacon with Mercury and Emerald, I- I didn't know what to think. I was afraid, relieved… and sad. I begged my team not to turn her and then she told me she was moving forward, leaving Torchwick in her past. I think, deep down, I knew it was a lie, but I really wanted to believe her. She talked to Dad and fought with Qrow and at the end of it all, they both accepted what she had done and believed her when she said she was moving on._

 _And then… came the tournament finals…_ She could feel a deep and unbearable terror welling up in her chest as she recalled those events, but still, she needed answers… she needed the whole picture. _Ruby came to me, she told me that she was going to leave, that it was the last time she would ever see me, the way she said it, it made my heart break. I had just gotten her back, I thought maybe I could start to rebuild what we had, start to get my little sister back. It was all just an act! She was just manipulating me so her and Mercury could make me more angry, more easy to fool with their plan!_

"That's it! I need more answers!" With that, Yang jumped to her feet. Her eyes were scorched crimson, her Semblance flaring with her range as she stormed out of her room, stomping down the hall with purpose toward the guest bedroom.

"Mercury!" Yang shouted as she swung open the door without hesitation. The gray haired boy looked up from his magazine at her from his bed.

"What, wanna fight? We just sparred a few hours ago, maybe you should rest up a bit more before going another round with-"

"Shut up!" Yang walked towards him, slamming the door behind her before grabbing him by the collar of his jacket, causing him to drop his magazine, still, he just looked at her unperturbed by her rage, instead waiting patiently for her to say what so clearly important to her.

"Do you know what you've done!? Do really?! You killed people, you and Ruby!" She let him go, throwing him down on the bed as she stood over him huffing with rage. "My arm is gone, Thistle is still in the hospital, Penny and Pyrrha are dead and you caused all of it. Do you even feel bad!? Answer me!"

"Do I feel bad?" His expression was subtle as he tilted his head back, looking up at her with his cool gray eyes. "Not really, I don't know if Ruby does either, at least, not in the way you're thinking."

"Not really?" Yang's voice grew soft. Contrary to the wrath Emerald had expected, her eyes cooled to lilac as her shoulders slumped. "H-how can you say that… they're dead Mercury, my friends are dead, so many innocent people… and you're telling me you can feel nothing?"

"Look, I made my peace with what I've become the day I killed my old man. There's no coming back from that Yang. You kill your own blood, it's only downhill from there when it comes to your sense of morality and you learn to let go of guilt really fucking fast!" He stood up, his own gray eyes held a cold anger as he glared down at her.

"But, I've spent time with you… you're not heartless." Yang felt tears welling up her eyes as she thought of what this meant for her sister, if she felt the same as him.

"Well… things have changed. Feeling bad won't bring anyone back to life and honestly, if I end up going back to Cinder, I'll probably sleep just fine if I hurt more people. In the end, you put what you care about over everything else. We all do it, for Huntsmen, they put protecting people above even their own lives, for Ruby, she put Roman and Neo above the lives of others. I just cared about myself more than anyone else." His expression softened back to his cool neutral look as he put his hands in his pockets, stepping back from Yang.

"And what about now? What do you care about now? Why are you here? Why did you save my sister?" Yang forced her composure back, she needed answers, this wasn't the time to let despair win out.

"It's complicated and I'd rather not get into it." Mercury shrugged, falling back on his bed, folding his clasped hands over his splayed legs.

"Yeah well, Ruby's not here yet so this is the best time I'm gonna get to make you tell me without her getting in the way. So, talk." She folded her arms over her chest and stepped a little closer, making it clear he wasn't going anywhere until she got what she wanted.

"Fine, whatever." He gave a resigned sigh. _Well, I don't have to tell her that I'm romantically involved with her little sister, but I guess I can talk my way around that._

"Okay, so like I said, there's no coming back after you kill someone, let alone a parent, it changes you and after Cinder found a use for me, getting any sort of redemption or whatever became something I didn't even think about, let alone care about, I knew I was too far gone so I didn't care. Then, I met this weird, awkward girl and it was strange, I guess I started to care about her. Seeing her take another person's life for the first time, seeing that look in her eyes, I knew she wasn't like me or Emerald, she was a good person, no matter what side she was on. I wanted to help her and before long, she saw something in me that wasn't just usefulness or a means to an end, but something better… I guess she found me under all my smart-ass crap. So that's why I'm here, because I care about Ruby, same goes for Neo and as much as you think hating her for everything she's done is the right thing to feel, deep down, you want to fuck what you should feel and put what you care about first."

"I don't hate her… I- I hate what she's become." Yang hugged herself with her arm, her gaze falling to the floor.

"That's the same thing, don't try and sugar coat it to spare your feelings. She is what she's become, but she's still the same person at her core. So, since we're talking about answers, tell me honestly, what matters more to you; The lives of your friends, your arm, the lives of people you've never met, your moral code… or your own little sister? What do you really care about that you would put above everything else?"

"I- don't know." Yang was trembling, she never felt like she wanted to run away so badly before… but she knew she couldn't. _I need answers… I need to know what to do!_

"That's not an answer and you know it. I'm asking you what matters most to you, it should be a simple question. You went through hell trying to get Ruby back, now she wants you on her side. She has her memories back, you're her sister again so I'll ask you one more time, what matters more to you, your sister, or your morals?" Yang visibly recoiled at his question, he struck a nerve, that means he was going the right way.

"I think you want to say that Ruby is what matters most to you, but you keep letting what you should feel get in the way of what you actually want. So how about I put it a different way…" Mercury narrowed his eyes at her and she faltered, unable to meet his stern gaze.

"If Ruby choses to go back with Cinder and you don't follow her… could you kill Ruby?" He watched Yang's eyes grow wide, her body relaxed as her arm fell back to her side. For a long moment, she was silent, staring at him. Many emotions flashed in her lilac eyes; disgust, horror, guilt, confusion, frustration and finally… resignation as she withdrew into her mind.

 _Could I do it? The whole time she was on their side, I never once fought her, even when Vale was in danger I didn't fight her. If I did… if I stopped her then and there, maybe we could have stopped the train in time. People died that day, my friends were badly hurt and Cinder used that to push people's fear over the edge with her speech after Penny… Still, I didn't stop Ruby, I didn't fight her._ Yang's eyes shut tight, her mind was a tumultuous storm of feelings and thoughts rushing around in a blur that felt as though it would tear her apart.

Still, through the haze of doubt and confusion, she pictured it; All of Vale on the line, her friends lives in the balance and the only way to save them… was to kill her little sister. She could see it with chilling vividness, Ruby cowering beneath her big sister, her big silver eyes glistening with fear as Yang reared back her fist, ready to deliver the final, life taking blow…

"No!" With a desperate Yang's cry eyes shot open, even so she could barely see through the haze that pooled in her eyes. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her breaths her labored and trembling, she felt like she was about to throw up, every fiber of her being felt repulsion and disgust towards the very idea. It felt like it was so against who she was at her core, that her very soul rejected it.

"That's what I thought." With a soft sigh Mercury stood up in front of Yang, she was still trembling. However, as Mercury's hand came to rest comfortingly on her shoulder, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes and he could see that what she truly wanted felt at odds with what she thought was right.

"Look, you don't have to feel bad. So your sister is the most important thing to you, like that somehow makes you a bad person. I didn't follow Cinder because I want to bring about the end of the world or whatever, I followed her because having a purpose was all that mattered at the time, and I'm not following Ruby so I can save the world and do good, but because she's what matters to me right now. See, as it turns out, the world isn't so simple as black or white, Ruby did bad things but she was never a bad person, it's just a matter of priorities, and there's nothing wrong with putting your sister above everyone else." He smiled his casual, cocky smile, shrugging like it was nothing, but for Yang, it was anything but as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You say that like it's so simple for you! You've already done so much harm that it's easy for you to see everything in shades of gray, but I can't just shrug at all the death and destruction you two have caused, let alone… be part of it." Her rage quelled as doubt and guilt flooded her heart and mind, her head hung low and her gaze to the floor.

"Alright, well if you don't want to chose either way, why don't you just let someone else kill her." His tone grew hostile as he took a threatening step closer. "I'm sure there are plenty of people on either side who would just love the tear her limb from limb, you can let them do it and pretend you're keeping your hands clean. Don't worry, Neo and I will try to protect her, you can sit on the sidelines and just watch what happens to keep your precious morality. You know what pisses me off?! How you act like this is so complicated, you know you want to protect your sister, deep down, you really don't care what she's done or might do, you want to be on her side, but you also don't want to let go of your moral high ground so to keep your hands clean you act like you can just look away and do nothing, just like you've been doing this whole time! Well you know what Yang, whether Ruby dies or your friends die, you're dreaming if you think your choice to do nothing justifies a clean conscience!"

"I- I…" Yang struggled, she tried with all she had to force the anger she knew she should have towards him out… but she couldn't. She couldn't summon up any rage towards Mercury, or even towards herself. Instead, she felt herself beginning to shut down, she felt herself falling into despair. _He's right… he's right._

"If it means anything, Ruby still loves you and I think she knows she's going to need you. The world is against her, it doesn't matter what side, they all have a reason to hate her and a reason to kill her. Honestly, she doesn't show it but I think she's afraid… she just wants her big sister at her back." His eyes and voice softened with compassion and empathy as he stepped back, giving her space and a moment to think. She looked to him, his words and hit her hard but he could see an epiphany in those wide lavender eyes.

"Yang! Mercury! We're home!" A familiar voice shouted cheerfully from downstairs.

"Ruby…" Yang's voice came as a soft, weak whisper as both her and Mercury looked to the door and then back to each other. After a moment, she gave a small, subtle nod, her glistening eyes held a strength of conviction in them that told Mercury more than words possibly could. With a smile of acknowledgement he led the way with Yang follow closely before they left the room, shutting the door behind them.

* * *

"Wow…" Yang blinked, not really knowing what to say as she and Mercury stood staring dumbstruck at Ruby.

"Eh-he… you like my new look?" Ruby blushed, bashfully rubbing the back of her head.

Ruby's ensemble was drastically different from the outfit that Roman and Neo gave her. Her hair was cut very short, the scar on her forehead proudly displayed. She wore a black top that cut off at just below her chest, leaving her belly exposed, its long sleeves rolled up to her upper arms which showed the red on inside, contrasting the rest of her black of the top. Fastened to her shoulders metal pins in the shape of her rose emblem was a long flowing cape that fell into a gradient from black on top to gray in the middle before turning bright red at the last third down to her ankles.

At her waist was a black skirt that hung down to her knees ending in frills at the hem, held up by a silvery chain belt. She wore black combat boots with red laces and accessorized her look with a steel upside down cross hanging from her neck, two ruby dangled from her pierced ears from thin gold chains and lastly… a familiar black bowler hat, with a rose in place of the feather Roman Torchwick wore.

"Wow…" Mercury echoed Yang, though with a different connotation as he looked up and down at her slack jawed for a moment before shaking himself back into his senses, well mostly, he still couldn't look away from her. The subtext of his stare wasn't lost on Neo who folded her arms over her chest as she glared at him.

"It's definitely… different." Yang tried not to sound completely off put but she couldn't help but feel it was a bit too… different.

"Thanks, I think." Ruby looked down at the floor, blushing a little bit harder as she briefly met Mercury's gaze. After few seconds to regain her composure she took a long, steadying breath and looked back up to them with a more serious sharpness in her eyes. "Anyway, since we're back, it's time for a team meeting!"

 _She didn't even stop to ask if Yang was on board, she must have a lot of faith in me and her._ He shook his head lightly as he smiled before walking over to the couch in the livingroom. After a lingering look of doubt at her sister, Yang followed him with Neo close behind. The three of them sat down, Mercury in the middle and Yang and Neo at his sides as Ruby strolled up in front of them, clearing her throat before beginning.

"Alright!" She began enthusiastically, trying to exude lighthearted leadership to a humorous effect. "So, now that everything is in order, we will move on to the main mission!"

"Which is?" Mercury smiled slyly at her, happy to play along.

"We're going to find Cinder and make her tell us everything." Her smile faded and her eyes became cooler and more intense, they all could tell, she was deadly serious. "Our best bet it to go to Mistral, start there and work our way out until we find her."

"Oh, that's great." Mercury fell back into the couch looking less than enthused. "So I get to be on a team with my girlfriend and her two psycho sisters to try and find my old super powered and very unforgiving boss all while everyone on all sides is trying to hunt us down?"

"Yep!" Ruby replied cheerfully and without hesitation, a bright, beaming smile lit up her face.

"Sounds like a good time." He grinned back, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his legs as he and Ruby exchanged a long look into each other's eyes. "Well, I guess we should-"

"Whoa!" Yang shouted as she bolted up from her seat, her eyes wide in astonishment and disbelief. "Girlfriend!?"

 _Crap, did I say all that out loud?_

"Yep!" Ruby chimed in her bubbly voice before using her semblance to blur over to Mercury, throwing herself into his lap and nearly knocking the wind out of him as he caught her. She came to a stop, sitting in his lap and her head resting against his chest as she smiled up at her still reeling sister. "Mercury's my boyfriend, surprise?"

"Oh, oh well that's just great!" Yang threw her arms up before turning away from them as she began to walk away from them… and then she promptly turned back around. "Because of course you are, okay, so this suddenly makes a lot more sense… damn it, of all the guys in the world it had to be him!"

"Hey, I'm right here ya know." Mercury deadpanned, while Ruby got a giggle at both of their expense.

"Aw come on Sis, Mercury sweet and cool and funny, you've spent weeks with him and I can tell I did the right thing leaving him with you." Ruby's smile softened as she put one arm around his shoulders, pulling herself against him while he blushed, more at her praise than her affection.

"I can't believe I'm going along with this." Yang sighed as she walked over to the nearest wall, letting her head fall against it forhead first with an audible thud. "Boyfriend, because why the hell not?"

Now even Neo was giggling silently at Yang's reaction, despite her protectiveness towards her adoptive little sister, she couldn't help but find her newest teammate's reaction funny. Beside Neo, Mercury put his arm around Ruby's middle, making himself comfortable with his girlfriend, looking more and more content by the moment. However, behind Ruby's smile, she felt so many things. Feelings of love, happiness, gratitude, relief and contentment conflicted with fear, apprehension, unease and pain that radiated through her head from her scar.

 _For now, I've got my sister back. The last people in the world I trust and love, people whose hands I would put my life in without hesitation are in my corner and on my team. It feels like the world is crushing me, but with these three, I feel like we can make it through everything it can throw at us._

* * *

"Well, this is it." Mercury looked at the house he had called home for months, a soft laugh escaped him as he felt an unexpected degree of fond nostalgia for the place as he and his new team stood outside, bidding their last farewell to the building before they set off for whatever awaited them.

"We've got a long road ahead of us, we should get going." Ruby said solemnly, bidding her home, a home filled with memories that she gotten back, goodbye.

"Hey, by the way," Mercury looked down at his girlfriend beside him. "You've got me curious, you wouldn't show me or Neo the designs for your new weapon. I'd like to see what you did with your scythes."

"Oh! That's right, I almost forgot!" Ruby smiled sheepishly, all three of her teammates were staring at her eagerly as she took a few steps back. A gentle spring breeze flowed around her, tugging at her cape as she slowly reached behind her.

In a blur of silver and red Ruby pulled her weapon from her back as it rapidly unfolded before them. Eyes widened and jaws dropped from Mercury and Yang as a massive double bladed scythe easily twice as tall as its wielder towered imposingly beside her as she held the middle of the long shaft, her boot coming to rest on the long curved blade that rested on the ground, the other blade looming over her, it's crescent pointing the opposite direction as the one below.

"Allow me to introduce the Dual Autonomous Incendiary Scythe; Soul Eclipsor!" Ruby declared proudly, her team in awe of the gargantuan weapon.

"Um, Ruby, that thing is bad-ass and all, but isn't it a little big?" Yang blinked, staring up at the topside blade.

"Yeah, but I trained with Neo every single night after we got it and I'm coming up with my own fighting style with it that combines what she taught me with what Uncle Qrow taught me! Besides…" Her voice softened as she smiled wistfully at it, gently stroking the cool metal shaft with her thumb. "It was the only thing that seemed right."

"Oh yeah?" Mercury grinned as he walked over to her. "This I've gotta see, I hope you learn fast, I don't want to be following around a leader who can't even fight."

"Oh don't worry," Ruby leaned towards him, a smug smile forming from her lips as she looked up at her boyfriend. "I can still kick your ass."

"I'd like to see that." His smile softened as he put his hands in his pockets.

"I bet you would." Ruby winked before folding up her absurdly large weapon, making it more manageable before she holstered it at her back.

"Well team, we should get going, we've got a long walk ahead of us to get to Mistral." Her expression cooled as she looked from Mercury to Neo and then to Yang, her eyes lingering on her older sister for a long moment with a wistful, somber note before Yang returned her look with an extremely subtle nod. With a soft sigh, Ruby turned around and without another word, she began walked down the path away from home.

"Wait!" They all stopped at a familiar shout as a Taiyang ran up to them, a box held securely under one of his arms.

"Dad?" Yang cocked her eyebrow bemused. They had already said their goodbyes to him and he gave them his blessing to go, though they didn't tell him the whole plan.

"It just came in the mail, I was hoping it would before you left, it was specially made by the Atlesian military for you under Ironwood's orders." He came to a stop in front of Yang who was beginning to understand what the item in question was. Slowly, almost too slowly, he opened it up, revealing a very expensive looking, high tech prosthetic arm.

"Dad… I don't-"

"Just put it on." Mercury nudged her with his elbow. As Yang looked to him, he gave a warm, reassuring smile. "Come on, we've got work to do."

Yang gave the prosthetic a long, hesitant look before giving a soft sigh. She untied the jacket sleeve that was knotted just above the stub were her arm ended and pulled it back, leaving the tan jacket hanging off her remaining arm. She reached into the box and pulled it out, looking over its details before putting it securely into place. It worked exceptionally from a technical standpoint, as soon as it was attached she could feel it working. She held it up in front of her face, slowly and methodically moving her fingers.

"It's cold…" She said numbly, her lilac eyes dull with sadness as her arm fell back to her side.

"You'll warm up to it." Mercury grinned as Ruby and Neo joined them, her little sister smiling lovingly at her while Neo's smile was more proud.

"It's good to have you back." Ruby took Yang's metal hand into her own, covering both the top and bottom with her warm hands as she looked fondly into Yang's eyes. "Everything is going to be okay."

As Yang looked into her sister's familiar, deep silver eyes, she could feel the unconditional, pure love Ruby had for her, even through everything, that love wasn't shaken. Yang finally understood what Mercury had told her. _She's still the same… she's still my little sister. I have to do this, I have to be there for her this time. I- I still love her, no matter what… and I will protect her._

* * *

 _Dear Weiss…_

 _Hey, I hope this letter gets to you, I know things have been pretty crazy since Beacon Fell, since the CCT is down this is the only way I can talk to you now. My surgeries went well, it still hurts but the doctors say I should be able to walk again… though they don't know if I'll ever be back at full strength again, hopefully physical therapy helps. I'm sorry that I couldn't see you off, but when I heard that you were home safe with your family after I woke up from surgery, I can't even describe how relieved I was._

 _I know things are tense between you and your family… I wish I could be there for you. I wish a lot of things could be different. I really miss you Snowflake, I keep waking up thinking about you, about that night. Weiss, I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough but no matter what, I will get better and then I'm going to find you and when we meet again…_

 _When we do meet again, there's something I have to tell you, it's very important and I have to say it in person, but I need you to know it. I'm going to work hard in therapy and get back on my feet (literally) and then I'm going to find you. I hope you'll hear what I have to say then. In the meantime, you are very dear to me and I miss you with all my heart._

 _Sincerely; Thistle Tsvetok._

Weiss' hands trembled as she held the letter gently in one hand, tears dripped onto the paper as they fell from her cheek. In her other hand she held tenderly the only other thing that came with the letter… a white tulip.

Passion and conviction burned in Weiss' chest like never before. Placing the letter down on her bed she bolted up before busting into a sprint across her room, holding gently onto the flower as she came to an uneasy stop at her massive dresser. She shuffled through it until she found a long, ornate wooden box.

'I won't let you down again Thistle. I have something I need to say to you as well, and the next time we meet, I will be strong enough to protect you!' With a shallow, shaky breath Weiss fixed the tulip into her hair, her aura surrounding it so it couldn't wilt.

She opened the clasps that held the box shut and swung it open, revealing Myrtenaster. Delicately she took her weapon by the hilt and held it up. _Hang in there for me Thistle, I'll be fighting right alongside you._

* * *

"Gah!" Thistle yelped in pain as she fell to the floor, her legs giving out after only a mere two steps before she fell to the floor, her back sending agonizing waves of pain radiating throughout her entire body. Sweat dripped from her as she struggled up from the cold tile floor, her breathing heavy and her soft purple eyes burning with indignant rage.

"Damn it!" Bitterly she growled, her legs unresponsive as she lay there, her arms holding her upper body off the floor while her lower body were inert and useless. She gritted her teeth, her jaw muscles bulging as she bit down. The air around her body hissed and popped as she poured her impotent rage into her Semblance.

"Need a hand?" A compassionate voice spoke to her as he reached his hand down to her.

"No no, I'm on the floor because I like it down here, not like I was short enough Jaune." Thistle laughed painfully. Beside her Nora put Thistle's arm over her shoulder while Ren took her other side helping her to stand.

"Here." Jaune rolled her wheelchair over as his teammates helped her sit down. "It's going to take time, to beat yourself up."

"I don't want to beat myself up, I want to get even!" Thistle slammed her fist down against the cushioned arm of the chair.

"Well, that's why we came here. We want to go after the people responsible for this… we'd like you to join us when you get better." Jaune put his hands carefully on her shoulders, his heart couldn't help but break for her, the most likely, energized and proud person he'd ever know, now stuck in a wheelchair and barely able to take a single step.

"I'm sorry for what happened to Pyrrha, I really am, she was my friend to… but I have a score to settle and it isn't with Cinder." Her voice held a spiteful edge as her Semblance again began to flare, making the air quake at her fury.

"I know, and to do that you're going to need a team. I hope you'll come with us, if you do… I think you two will cross paths again." Jaune looked to his teammates as the nodded in agreement. However Thistle could barely contain her Semblance now, each agonizing pain in her spine only pushed her anger further and further.

 _Ruby Rose… I'm going to find you and I am going to make you pay!_


	50. Nightmares

_'_ _I'm here again…' Ruby's thoughts echoed through the darkness as she stood naked in the expansive void. No sight or sensation penetrated the pitch blackness, save for the feeling of something we and warm beneath her feet. 'I'm dreaming…'_

 _"_ _Not a dream… a nightmare." A disturbingly gently and compassionate voice whispered from behind her, so close she could feel the breath of the speaker against her neck._

 _Ruby's body felt heavy, as if her bones were replaced with lead… even so, she forced herself to move. As she placed her foot down she heard a splashing, warm drops spattered her lower legs, filling the air with a chillingly familiar acrid odor._

 _"_ _I-it's you…" Ruby whispered, fear finally setting in, gripping her heart and paralyzing her limbs as she stared at own face only inches away. It was Ruby… but it wasn't at the same time, the other her, the Ruby with the icy gaze chilled to a deathly cold by the things she had seen and done, even her voice was cold enough to send shivers down Ruby's spine._

 _"_ _It's me." The cold Ruby's almost unnaturally monotone voice didn't help Ruby's fear, she wanted to run away from the doppelganger but now her body was completely frozen, leaving her forced to stare into those chilling silver eyes._

 _"_ _You're scared." She said it so simply and softly, but scared didn't even come close to the level of pure terror that felt as thought it would suffocate Ruby, filling her chest with unbridled but impotent fear._

 _"_ _I'm going to protect you." Her voice was caring and gentle now, a stark contrast to the cold in her eyes. Slowly she raised her arm up from her side, bringing her hand to rest on her counterpart's cheek. Cold Ruby's hands were warm and soft, at her tender touch Ruby felt her body grow lighter, but deep in her heart she could still only feel fear towards her double as she gently stroked her cheek._

 _"_ _From what?" Her voice was little more than a stifled, constricted whisper. She could feel her double's warm fingers trail down the side of her face before falling to her shoulder, her soft hand running slowly down the length of her arm. Despite the tenderness in her touch, Ruby wanted to run away… but she felt an even greater terror as she looked into the darkness that surrounded them._

 _"_ _Do you really want to see what's out there, just out of reach, hiding in the dark?" Cold Ruby's fingers gently ran down Ruby's soft palm before she carefully and slowly entwined her fingers with her counterpart's, clasping their hands together, Ruby's eyes were wide, her face extremely pale as her gaze was fixed with overwhelming fear into the darkness._

 _"_ _Don't let go." At the sheer gravity in Cold Ruby's voice, Ruby could do nothing but hold on tight to her other self's hand stepping just a little bit closer, their shoulders touching as they stood side by side. Cold Ruby ceremoniously raised one hand up into the air above them and a small flame ignited in her palm, burning away the darkness, revealing what lurked in the shadows._

 _Ruby trembled as she stared at the countless grotesque, almost human like beings, unnaturally disfigured and woeful monstrosities with eyes like Grimm that all stared at the Rubys, literally just out of arm's reach. Below them stretched an unending pool of blood that barely came up to her toes which was fed by the dripping wounds of the horrors._

 _Ruby's mouth was dry and her throat was tight, she wanted to scream… but her voice was paralyzed. All she could do is stare at them as their red eyes burned into her, her small body quaked and trembled and her hand held ever tighter to the only source of warmth aside from the blood that covered her feet._

 _"_ _I will protect you." Cold Ruby whispered. The flame in her hand snuffed out, plunging them again into darkness… but it was too late, Ruby knew what lurked just out of reach. Her body felt at once cold and hot, waves of nausea swept over her as her heart pounded in her chest. Ruby's terror skyrocketed as she felt her counterpart's hand release her own and again she found her body completely immobile._

 _"_ _I will keep you clean, as always." Cold Ruby stepped forward, and smoldering ember appeared in hand, growing longer and long from each end until it formed a familiar scythe, her former weapon Inferno Crescent._

 _Suddenly, Ruby was alone, smoldering rose petals scattered around her as they slowly burned to ash. All around her in the darkness she could hear screams of agony and rage forming a deafening chorus as flashes of fire from the scythe's blade showed her counterpart killing the horrific creatures before the fire faded time and time again, plunging her back into darkness._

 _'_ _Run!' A voice, a man's voice, one that held a bittersweet familiarity screamed at her from inside her mind. 'Red get out now!'_

 _The voice ripped her from her immobility, her body felt light as fear and adrenaline coursed through her veins. She turned on her heels, nearly slipping in the blood before she used her Semblance, getting away as fast as possible, to where though, she had no idea. She just heeded the words that echoed in her mind, screaming at her to run. She could feel those… things, grabbing at her, howling and shrieking at her as she moved as fast as she could, but she didn't stop, after a point, she couldn't even hear them over the sound of her panicked heart hammering in her chest._

 _Suddenly… there was nothing beneath her feet, the shallow pool of blood had given way to a truly empty void and then… she fell. Ruby plummeted down above her she could still see the flashes of fire from her other self doing battle on her behalf. A cold chill turned her blood to ice as she felt hands grabbing at her, holding her arms and legs painfully tight, pulling her down fast and fast into the abyss!_

* * *

"No!" Ruby bolted up, her whole body was drenched in sweat and a lightning pain shot through her scar and radiated through her head as she trembled in her tent, panting for breath. _It was just a dream. It was just a dream._

 _Not a dream… a nightmare._

A voice that seemed at once her own and yet separate from her echoed through her conscious mind… and then all the terror of her nightmare returned, now feeling all too real. Shakily, she staggered up, one hand clutching her head as she unzipped her tent, falling out of it and collapsing onto the grassy ground, still quivering, her breaths heavy and labored as sweat dripped from her brow, a cool, soft breeze providing some semblance of relief to the fire that seemed to be consuming her from the inside out.

It was still dark, but she could hear birds chirping all around them. Sunrise wasn't far away and the moon was just bright enough to allow her to see the camp around her. Yang and Neo's tents were on either side of her own, as her heart slowed, she could hear Yang's soft snoring and Neo wasn't much of an early riser… she was the only one awake. The memories of her nightmare played in her head over and over sending chills down her spine… until she saw something.

A figure lay on the opposite end of their snuffed out camp fire. As her eyes adjusted, she realized that it was her boyfriend, sleeping outside in his sleeping bag, his tent's entrance unzipped. Closing her eyes she focused her ears and after tuning out the birds and her sister's snoring… she could hear Mercury's soft, rhythmic breaths. An idea, or rather a whim struck her and she couldn't think of any reason not to follow through with it, so she quickly rummaged around inside her tent and grabbed her blanket.

Her fear ebbed and a small smile formed from her lips as she got out of her tent. As quietly as she could she crawled over to him. His pale skin almost glowed in the silver light of the moon as she came to a stop beside him, her legs resting underneath her, propping her up so she could look down at him. Gingerly Ruby reached out, brushing back his bangs, he looked so peaceful as he slept, just watching him made her eyelids feel heavier.

Ruby carefully and slowly adjusted herself, putting half of the blanket under herself while the covered the both of them with the remaining half. She settled in, his soft and steady breathing telling her that she hadn't woken him, she got a little more bold, snuggling closer to him and resting her head on his shoulder. After only a minute she could feel his warmth, the gentle rise and fall of his chest pulling her more and more into a comfortable ease and then… he shifted, his arm which had been up, keeping his hands under his head, lowered as he wrapped his strong arm around the smaller girl, pulling her in close.

Her surprise gradually ebbed… he didn't seem to have been woken. So Ruby just stared up at him from his shoulder, smiling contently as her eyes fell shut, feeling nothing but safe… she let herself slip into unconsciousness and didn't have another nightmare the rest of the night.


	51. A Day With Team RYMN: Part 1

Blear eyes reluctantly blinked open, her small tent was filled with soft light, shadows cast from the trees above danced subtly in the morning breeze. She felt something… cold against her side after a moment of wondering, she remembered; it was her arm. A deep melancholy spread through her chest like ice water but still she took a deep breath and held up her arm, bringing up the heavy prosthetic above her, moving her fingers one after the other before balling them into a fist.

 _This isn't the time to be sulking…_ Yang shook her head before forcing herself up, pulling the blankets away as she reached for the zipper at the entrance of her tent. Light and cool air streamed in, forcing her sleepy eyes to blink as they adjusted.

She pushed herself out, rubbing her eyes with her non metal hand before throwing her arms into the air and giving a long, satisfying stretch. The early morning sun glinted off her prosthetic and a soft breeze flowed around her. Birds chirped in the branches, filling the tranquil morning with their songs.

Humming with her stretch she brought her arms back to her side as she looked around the camp, her eyes falling on two sleeping figures cuddling closeby their ash filled fire pit. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance as she stared at the sleeping Ruby and Mercury, her little sister snuggled up to him, her head resting on his shoulder and his arm around her holding her close.

 _Looks like those two are getting cozy… and awfully close._ Still, after a moment she couldn't help but be disarmed by the peaceful, content look on Ruby's face. With a resigned sigh Yang shook her head and walked off towards a little deeper into the woods, following the faint sound of twigs snapping.

As the cool mid morning air began to warm with the sun yang felt a little more comfortable in her pajamas and orange tank-top emblazoned with her emblem. Yang came out into a small clearing not even a minute from camp to find the fourth and final member of their unlikely team doing some sort of yoga in her sleepwear.

Neo's pink and brown hair was tied back into a ponytail and she wore white yoga pants and a light pink blouse. She stood on her hands and spread her legs out with almost inhuman flexibility as she eased into a slip until her toes just barely touched the ground. Neo's head turned to Yang staring at her as she leaned up against a tree, seeming to be patiently waiting for her to finish her morning routine. So, Neo pulled herself up and brought her legs back together pointing her toes to the sky before letting them fall forward as she gracefully landed on her feet, staring quizzically at Yang.

"Hey Neo, sorry to interrupt… whatever that was." Yang didn't even want to know. "Mind if I talk to you for a bit, something's on my mind."

Neo tilted her head bemused for a moment before wiping off some lingering drops of sweat with her forearm. With an amiable smile Neo walked up to Yang, standing before the much taller girl, waiting curiously to hear what she had to say. Meanwhile Yang stared at her for a long moment, it was strange to her, seeing Neo's distinctive hair tied back in a ponytail, but it didn't look bad on her at all.

"W-well, it's just, I guess you saw them too since you were up before me." Yang felt a little flustered both by Neo's expressive stare and by how awkward she felt even talking about it. Still, she let out a soft sigh and gathered herself. "Well, it seems like Ruby and Mercury are pretty close huh?"

Neo blinked and for a moment she looked almost suspiciously at her teammate, but her multicolored eyes softened as she gave a small nod, letting Yang continue. The two of them had very little interaction with each other under their belts, Neo knew very little about her adoptive sister's biological sister, however she knew Yang undoubtedly cared for Ruby so that was reason enough for Neo to trust her.

"Okay so, I guess Ruby kinda sees you like a big sister so I just thought you and I should have a talk with Mercury while Ruby is out of the way, you know, let him know that he better take care of her? I mean… I kinda always wanted to intimidate her first boyfriend, you know, protective big sister stuff?" Yang gave an awkward, bashful laugh, her eyes looking around the forest instead of those big brown and pink eyes that stared up at her with a complicated expression. Finally, Neo's lips formed a playful, devious grin as she tilted her head back, looking up at yang with one hand on her hip. _I guess that's a yes?_

"Good, because I see how you are around Ruby and I figured you think of her like a little sister too… which is nice." Yang shook her head softly, her shoulders slumped as she leaned more heavily against the tree, her gaze falling to the ground as she hugged herself, her entire visage exuding dejection.

Neo's smile faded, replaced by a confused but worried frown, her hand fell back to her side as she took a step closer, unsure of how to make Yang feel better or even what was wrong with her. She reached out her hand, hoping a gentle touch might help but before her fingers touched her arm, Yang spoke up, compelling Neo to retract her hand and listen.

"Neo, I know you're not much of a talker, but I kinda have something I want to ask you, but first… I- I want to thank you." Now that threw Neo off, the candid, genuine sadness and gratitude in her voice was a side of Yang Neo had never seen, still she didn't interrupt, instead letting Yang get off her chest what was clearly important for her.

"I want to thank you for being there for Ruby when I wasn't, she was probably scared and confused after she lost her memory and I can tell she trusts you a lot and cares about you, so you must have done a lot to earn that from her. I was supposed to be the one to pick her up when she's down and I was supposed to comfort her when she cried…" Yang bit down, her jaw muscles bulging at the sides of her face as anger and bitterness burned in her chest, all directed at herself. With a shaky exhale, she let her rage go, forcing herself to continue. "I wasn't there for her… but I'm glad you were, actually, I'm still glad you're here for her. So, thanks."

Yang couldn't meet her eyes, both out of bashfulness and out of sadness and anger towards herself. Even so, she hoped that Neo understood just how grateful she really was. She recalled what Thistle and Weiss told her when they were on the trail in Mountain Glenn, when they knocked Ruby out and just before they could take her, Neo did everything she could to protect Ruby from them. At the time, Yang cursed the person who kept her sister away from her, but now she was thanking that very woman for doing just that… _It's funny how things can work out._

For a moment, Neo's eyebrows were raised in surprise, her eyes wide as she looked up at Yang. She certainly wasn't expecting that. She had spent so long fighting Yang, hating her for wanting to take Ruby away, hell, Neo recalled the time that she gleefully smiled at the prospect of killing Yang after they captured her back in mountain Glenn but now she was happy to be on a team with that very person, because she knew that Yang cared for Ruby just as much as she did. After the surprise wore off and she had a second to really sort out how she felt about what Yang had said, Neo smiled warmly and gave an affirming nod.

"So, with that in mind, I wanted to ask… how was she? Back then I mean." Yang's voice was soft as she looked up to the clear blue sky, her gaze wistful with no small hint of sadness. "I only got to see her twice before she came to Beacon, once that night after we destroyed Torchwick's Paladin and then on the train, we didn't get to do much talking either time. So, I want to know, how was Ruby while she was with you? Was she eating okay? Was she smiling enough? When she was sad was she comforted? Did she laugh? I think a lot about that you know, everything I missed with her. After our mom… after she passed away, I swore I would protect Ruby and be there for her, but I wasn't. So, how was she?"

Once again Neo was taken aback, the question seemed out of nowhere but she could tell Yang was holding on to these thoughts for a long time. At the same time that it made her happy that Yang cared so much for her sister, Neo was saddened by the pain in her teammate's soft lilac eyes.

Yang didn't exactly know what kind of answer she was waiting for, Neo didn't talk and she knew there would be a communication gap between them, still, it didn't hurt that Neo was one of the most expressive people she'd ever seen. The smaller woman had a way of conveying a lot through just a look or a smile, Yang actually found it pretty impressive. After a long moment of staring up at the sky, she looked back into Neo's sparkling, colorful eyes that shimmered with both immense gratitude and deep empathy and her small, soft smile told Yang enough, even more than the gentle nod she gave her. _Ruby was happy, she was well taken care of and loved, she was okay. I feel like that's what she's trying to say and that smile… it's enough for me._

"Thanks Neo… for taking care of her." Yang let out a soft breath, fighting to push back the sadness and regret that was welling up in her chest. She shook her head lightly, bringing her hands up to her face and rubbing it gently, one hand was soft, warm and familiar… the other was cold, hard and alien to her. She held her hands down, looking at them side by side, pale skin warmed by the light of the sun, the other glinting and heavy.

"Can I ask you a really weird question?" Yang spoke without looking up from her hands. "I mean, it's kinda out there and it maybe wrong to ask something like this but I have to know… have you ever killed anyone?"

Somehow even Neo seemed to grow more silent at the sudden and very, very unexpected question. Her expression was blank and unreadable as she looked to Yang for a long moment, deliberating how exactly to answer, or if she she should even do so but in the end, Neo finally gave a small shrug and responded with a nonchalant nod, finding no reason to lie to her newest teammate.

"I see… I thought so, I just wanted to be sure." Yang sighed softly, putting her hands back into the pockets of her pajamas. "I guess that means I'm the only one of us who hasn't... even Ruby has killed people. It feels really weird you know, I'm on a team of murderers, but I can't think of you as bad people anymore… if I'm being honest, I'm starting to care about you and Mercury, even after everything you've all done. Still, what if Ruby decides she wants to be on Cinder's side? I- I don't know if I could follow her, I don't want to hurt people, but I want to be there for Ruby. I guess this has been really bothering me and I just wanted to get it off my chest, I'm really sorry for unloading all of this onto you, I just-"

Yang was silenced, her spiraling thoughts coming to a stop as she felt a gentle pressure land on the top of her head. Neo reached up, tenderly stroking Yang's head, carefully running her fingers through her hair as she had done for her adoptive sister many times when Ruby needed comforting, Neo figured Yang could really use it now. She was right, under Neo's touch Yang felt herself relaxing, the dark clouds dispelled as her teammate closed her eyes, seeming to be trying to channel clam through her touch. A fragile smile formed from Yang's lips as her own eyes fluttered closed. _I guess things are more complicated than good and evil, like Mercury said._

* * *

Shimmering sunlight pierced through the darkness of sleep, stirring him from unconsciousness. His body felt heavy but a pleasant warmth and pressure threatened to lull him back to sleep but the more he fought it, the more he became aware of a weight resting on his shoulder… and a steady movement under his arm.

Mercury forced his eyes open, green leaves in the trees above him swayed in a gentle breeze, breaking up the morning light beautifully as it rained down onto the forest floor. It didn't take him long to cut through the fog of grogginess as he tried to figure out the time just by the position of the sun. He guessed it was around mid morning and that he had slept in. Blinking the bleariness from his eyes he finally turned his head to his side and was very surprised to see a head of short black hair resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her as Ruby snored softly, her chest rising and falling steadily as she snuggled against his side.

He couldn't remember when she could have joined him or how he didn't notice, but as she looked down at her, he couldn't help but smile and hold her just a little tighter. He closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest and the rhythmic breathing of his girlfriend who pushed herself just a little bit closer to him as he held her. _I should probably wake her up… but I like this, maybe I'll just let her sleep a bit longer, not like we're on a deadline or anything._

A thought crossed his mind, nothing more than a whim but as he looked down at his girlfriend he felt more and more compelled. Finally, seeing no reason not to, Mercury gingerly craned his neck and kissed to top of her head. Her black hair was soft and warm from the sunlight and it smelled still vaguely of strawberries. He wanted to just roll onto his side and wrap both his arms around her, hold her close and just fall back asleep in her warmth, but he knew the should probably get up soon.

 _I can't believe I'm here, with her and Neo and Yang, being on a team with them almost seems surreal, but I really wouldn't rather be anywhere else. Besides, I care for this girl right here and if this crazy plan is what she wants, I'm happy to follow her, make sure she doesn't get herself killed… and maybe, along the way, I can enjoy these little moments that I never thought I would have. I feel pretty good right about now…_

"Mercury…" A soft murmur hummed from the girl laying beside him as Ruby began to shift around, coming to alertness. She lifted her head, looking up at him with bleary eyes as she slowly blinked herself awake smiling softly at her boyfriend. "Hey."

"Hey yourself." Mercury let out a small huff of laughter as he looked into her beautiful silver eyes. She looked like she was still half asleep but between Ruby's dazed voice, sleepy eyes and warm smile, she actually looked even cuter to him. "You sleep alright?"

"Mm-hm" Ruby hummed in response, stretching beside him, pressing her face against his shoulder, taking in his warmth as she draped her arm over his chest and held him close. "After I came out here I slept like a baby."

"I'm glad, even if it means I can't feel my fingers anymore and my whole arm has just about gone numb from having to be your pillow." He smirked at her.

"But warm…" She whined indignantly before reluctantly scooting down, relieving his arm and placing her head under his armpit, resting her face against his side with an playfully aggravated huff.

"Well we should be getting up soon anyway, looks like Yang and Neo are already up for who knows how long." He sighed. Still, he figured since they were both awake now, why not get a little more comfortable? With Ruby now off his shoulder he rolled himself onto his side, letting cool morning air rush between them for a moment before he and Ruby at once came back together, Ruby smiling contently as rested against his chest, his arms wrapped around her, holding her close, his chin nestled in her soft, short hair. _But maybe we could stay like this for just a little bit longer._

"Merc, you're gonna make me fall back asleep." Ruby giggled, adjusting herself slightly to make herself more comfortable, practically purring as a comfortable warmth washed over her, his steady breathing and his heartbeat lulling her more and more back into to a blissful sleep.

"Just a few more minutes…" He held her just a tiny bit tighter, she felt so small resting against his chest, under his arms. It was strange but also endearing, especially knowing that this small, cute girl could easily kick his ass.

"Fine, but if I fall asleep I'm blaming you." She giggled, seriously feeling sleep threatening to take her back.

"Hey, you're the one that came out here in the first place so this is your fault." Mercury gave a huff of laughter, jerking Ruby to snap her into alertness. "It's my turn to cook breakfast for everyone, I'm pretty surprised Yang and Neo didn't wake us up sooner."

"They probably didn't want to disturb us." Ruby shrugged. "I guess if you're cooking I'll head to the nearby stream to get some water."

"That sounds good. Yang can get firewood and Neo can do the dishes." He wondered exactly where their other two teammates were but then a realization hit him, a pang of worry hit his heart.

"Hey, you said you slept well after you came to sleep with me… what was making you have a hard time sleeping before that?" Immediately he could feel Ruby stiffen against him at the question. A long moment passed before she said anything and that alone was enough to confirm his fears.

"It's the nightmares… they keep waking me up and it's hard to go back to sleep after one." Her voice was colder than before and Mercury could distinctly hear the hint of fear in her words.

"I'm no therapist, but it sounds like you've got some issues going on with these constant nightmares… wanna talk about it?" He knew Ruby was tough, or at least, she liked to seem tough. She was their leader, she didn't want them to think she was hurting or dealing with issues as she led them down a very dangerous path… _I get it, but she should know better. We're a team because of her, all of us want her to be okay._

"Maybe later, this is a good morning so far, I really don't want to ruin it." She took a long, deep breath, smiling softly as she pressed herself up against him. "But… thanks, for holding me, I didn't have another nightmare after I joined you out here."

"Any time Ruby, any time." Despite his worry, he smiled too and again he gently kissed to top of her head, lingering there, taking in everything he could about the the moment with her feeling genuinely content and very happy, his chest filling with a deep warmth as she gave a soft hum, relaxing in his arms. _Yeah, I like this. I like this a lot._

* * *

"That was good! Thanks for cooking again Merc!" Yang hummed happily, her plate wiped clean and her stomach satisfied, well worth the wait she had endured waiting for the lovebirds to wake up.

Neo smiled brightly giving a nod of agreement as she too finished her breakfast, placing her plate down beside her before getting up, collecting her teammate's dishes as she readied to clean them before their morning routines got started.

After about a week of traveling the ground found themselves a nice rhythm for the day. They rotated chores and duties, though they didn't follow it strictly as Mercury tended to be the one who did about half the cooking, but he consistently said he didn't mind. After breakfast they would each start their morning workout with Ruby bouncing between her three teammates, getting in three separate workouts. First she went with Mercury for some light sparring, then she joined Yang for intense strength training and then she did stretches and yoga to keep up her flexibility with Neo. Their mission was extremely dangerous so they all had to keep sharp.

"Glad you liked it." Mercury wore a cocky grin, of course they liked it, he hadn't got one complaint about his cooking and seeing them all enjoy it stroked his ego in the best way.

"Well, we should get started." Ruby stood up, looking pumped and ready to go as she handed off her plate to Neo. "You ready Mercury?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Mercury stood up, handing off his plate to Neo with a thank you before turning back to Ruby. "I'll try not to kick your ass too bad.

"Great, I saw this perfect spot by the river!" Ruby smiled eagerly, completely ignoring his taunting as she walked around their cooking fire while yang snuffed it out. Taking her boyfriend's hand into her own they began walking away, leading him to the spot where they would spar.

"Hold up!" Yang called out, rushing over to them. The couple stopped and turned to face the smiling with suspiciously forced innocence which Mercury would have thought was strange before Yang put her hand on his shoulder gripping it almost painfully hard while still looking at Ruby as though nothing suspicious was going on. "Neo and I need to talk to Merc about something so you go on ahead, he'll catch up."

"Oh." Ruby tilted her head somewhat confused, meanwhile Mercury was doing his best to hide his growing fear at the prospect of staying behind with his girlfriend's two protective sisters.

"Alright then, try not to keep him too long." Ruby shrugged, letting go of his hand before turning to him and standing on her toes, her lips gently landing on his cheek before she pulled away. "See you soon."

And with that… she began walking deeper into the woods towards the Ruby, Mercury looking pleadingly after her before reluctantly turning back to Yang. His worst fears seemed to be realized as Neo had joined them looking at him with a stern, angry look, meanwhile Yang wore a disturbingly bright smile.

"So, it's time." Yang said cryptically, finally taking her hand off his shoulder, though somehow that didn't make him feel any better. "Since you and my sister seem to be getting pretty close, Neo and I thought we needed to give you the talk."

"Um… what talk?" Mercury gulped as Neo and Yang stood menacingly close, glaring at him with extremely protective demeanors.

"The, ' _You break my little sister's heart and we break you_ ' talk." Yang narrowed her eyes menacingly as she took a firm, stomping step forward while Neo smiled casually while she tapped her umbrella against the ground, its hidden blade partially unsheathed.

"Oh." Mercury hadn't even been as afraid of Cinder as he was of these two crazy, over-powered and super protective women. However, Yang's viciously protective demeanor softened, her arms folded over her chest as she took a step back, letting out a soft sigh.

"But with that being said, I can tell you make Ruby happy and that makes me happy, Neo too. She really likes you, you're lucky, so don't screw it up." Yang gave him a warning glare, beside her Neo sheathed her blade and brought her umbrella over her shoulder, looking expectantly at him as she awaited his answer.

"Yeah… I know I'm lucky." He turned his head, looking in the direction that Ruby had gone, a warm smile forming from his lips before he even knew it. "I'm not going to screw this up because I really like her too… she makes me happy."

With that, Mercury put his hands in his pockets and followed Ruby towards the river, leaving Yang and Neo looking at each other, taken aback by the sincerity in his words. However, after a moment, Neo smiled up at Yang and she gave in with a resigned sigh. _I guess this is our team, my sister, her boyfriend, her adoptive sister and me. Three murderers and a traitor… I guess I could be in worse company._


	52. A Day With Team RYMN

The forest was silent and the hot midday sun shined down with surprising intensity. Ruby Rose stood in a clearing her gaze shifting between her two opponents. Yang and Neo stood in their fighting poses, their weapons ready as they set to square off against their little sister, the entire forest seemed silent as the tension of battle hung in the air.

Ruby's massive dual scythe was unusually heavy in her hand as she reared it back, her earlier workouts with her teammates having left her body weak and tired. Even so, she wouldn't slack off, she had to get stronger and this was the best way. She took a long, deep breath, preparing herself as her tensed her aching muscles. _Okay, Neo is fast, agile and extremely hard to pin down while Yang powerful, fierce and hits like a truck. Between the two of them they would be a tough match for anyway, their strength complement each other well. Still, Neo trained me and I know how Yang fights… I can do this!_

Yang's gauntlets clicked with a distinctive sound as a round was loaded, ready to be fired with a punch, beside her Neo pulled out the long, thin blade from the hilt of her umbrella, watching Ruby carefully, knowing fully what she was capable of.

Placing one foot tentatively forward Ruby took a lunging pose and the… her scythe came apart in the middle of the long shaft, a chain connecting each of the now two full sized scythes hung behind her as she held each scythe in one hand, the large, heavy blades resting in the grass by her feet.

 **Whooosh!**

In a blur of rose petals Ruby blitzed in between her two opponents, putting her momentum into a spin as she came to a stop and letting one of her scythes arc behind her on its chain towards Neo as she slashed upwards at Yang with her remaining scythe! A smug grin pulled at her her lips as Yang back away, narrowly missing the razor sharp outer blade.

A wave of fire shot out from both scythes, one horizontally at Neo and the other one following the vertical slash Ruby made at Yang! Behind her Neo fell back, deftly avoiding the flames while in front of Ruby Yang threw her arms up and tanked the hit, being sent sliding across the grass a good few feet. However, Ruby wasn't done yet! The force from the fire blast directed at Neo sent her scythe swinging forward, Ruby following it, adding her own strength as she spun her entire body, slashing towards Yang once again with the massive flaming blade. This time, Yang had the sense to get out of the way, bunny hopping back just before she would have taken another powerful blow.

In a flowing motion Ruby brought her other scythe behind her, resting the hilt at her side just in time for her blade to knock back Neo's umbrella. In the next instant Ruby jerked back on her scythe, making it fall into the ground near Yang, a long chain spanning the distance between them. With her Semblance Ruby blitzed forward leaving Neo slashing at a cloud of rose petals as her target came to a stop, one hand on her scythe that was dug into the ground in front of Yang, the other hand holding its counterpart, the flames snuffed out as Ruby stared down her sister.

Baring her teeth in anger Yang punched at Ruby sending a blast barreling towards her face, but Ruby evaded, falling backwards as Neo had done, letting go of her scythe so she should backflip out of the way. Just like she planned, Yang pulled back her other arm and swung at little sister who effortlessly stepped out of the way.

With a satisfied smirk Ruby kicked up the chain connecting her scythes as Yang threw a third punch but this time, Ruby didn't evade, instead she swept her foot over her fist, wrapping the chain around Yang's gauntlet before stomping down with all her might, forcing yang to fall before her!

With one arm Ruby pulled her scythe from the ground and set it ablaze, bringing the massive blade over her head to strike down at her sister and then… she dropped it behind her back, snuffing the flames while putting her weapon between herself and Neo. Kicking herself up with all her strength while holding onto the shaft of her scythe Ruby forced herself into a half backflip, balancing perfectly on the end of her scythe with one hand, her feet pointing up towards the sky.

Neo looked up at her and in an instant she knew her opponent's next move, with only a moment to spare she threw her umbrella up between them just as Ruby swung down her heel at her! Gritting her teeth Ruby brought her other foot down on top of Neo's parasol, crouching down before thrusting herself away falling back towards Yang with her scythe! It took almost every muscle in her body but as she fell she landed into a handstand and caught her falling scythe with her upright legs while simultaneously dodging a blast from her sister's gauntlet!

Flames again engulfed the blade of her scythe between her legs and as she twisted her body she lashed out with wave after wave of fire shooting out in all directions forcing her Neo back as she defended with her parasol, Yang however was still tangled in Ruby's chain and took another direct hit from the fire!

As Yang recovered from the conflagration Ruby saw her chance and swung down her scythe with her legs… but Yang knocked it away, the blade bouncing off her her gauntlets as her sister was bathed in an intense golden glow!

Yang went on the offensive sending a flurry of weapon augmented punches at Ruby while she frantically tried to keep up, knocking away each punch with her scythe each powerful blow nearly throwing her off balance and she knew that Neo had to be closing in again. _This is really bad!_

Ruby braced herself and twisted her scythe around Yang's next punch, hooking the curve of her scythe over the chain on her sister's wrist as she moved herself just barely out of the way of the blast loosed from her gauntlet before it slammed into the ground. In her periphery she could see a blur of pink and white closing in fast! With a rush of adrenaline Ruby pulled back on her scythe, catching her chain wrapped around Yang's arm and pulling her back to the ground as Ruby forced herself upright with one foot under the shaft of her scythe that pulled Yang down!

Without any time to think Ruby moved on pure reflexes barely getting out of the way of Neo's blade in time. Suddenly Ruby found herself being forced back as Neo slashed at her with her knife and kept her from going on the offensive with quick and acrobatic kicks and Ruby was helpless to do anything but move back little by little. _She's trying to force me away from Soul Eclipsor!_

Behind her she could hear Yang unwrapping herself from her weapon's chains, two on one and separated from her weapon Ruby knew she wouldn't stand a chance. Turning herself out of the way of Neo's next stab Ruby kicked up her scythe and reached out behind her without having time to turn around, grabbing the shaft and setting her blade on fire.

 _I hope this trick works again!_ Ruby stiffened her body and bared her teeth. In the next instant she jumped back, crouching down as she and her scythe were pulled down.

 _ **Fwooosh!**_

An explosion of fire washed over the ground hitting Yang and blasting Ruby forward feet first into Neo! Normally at this point she would let go and fall into the two footed kick with all her weight behind it, but this time she held on as tight as she could to the shaft of her weapon, digging the tip into the ground, catching herself just as her foot landed on Neo's abdomen with a hard impact. She could feel the sheer opposing forces nearly tear her shoulder out of its socket, she squeezed one eyes shut and bit down against the pain before her feet hit the ground.

Neo staggered back, barely hurt by Ruby's kick while behind her Yang was getting extremely pissed off, her Semblance burning as she grew stronger with each hit. However, Ruby knew even Yang had her limits and once it was just her and Neo she could overpower and out maneuver her mentor. _But fighting like this is taking a toll on my aura and my body, one good hit from either of them and I'm finished._

Ruby stepped back, bringing both of her opponents into her periphery. The chain that connected her scythes retracted, dragging her scythe back towards the one in her hand until they met in the middle, forming one massive double bladed scythe. She huffed for breath, her weapon was feeling heavier and heavier, her trembling muscles struggling to keep on going. _The Ruby Meteor might not be the worst idea, Neo could probably avoid it but one solid hit might be enough to put Yang down, but I'm not sure I have the aura to not end up getting knocked out by it myself._

With a soft sigh Ruby relaxed her tense body and divided her scythe just slightly, leaving only a few inches of chain between the two halves. Her opponents eyed her wearily, uneager to run straight at her again, even Yang was being cautious after taking a few fireballs to the face. Even so, both of them looked in better shape than Ruby. Knowing she didn't have much fight let in her, Ruby did the only thing she could… she went on the offensive.

In a burst of rose petals Ruby blitzed Yang slashing at her belly with her scythe, but her sister easily avoided the first attack, stepping out of the way a moment before impact. The chain extended as Ruby dropped her other scythe to the ground while she loosened her grip on the one that Yang had dodged, grabbing it by the chain before igniting it. A jet of fire propelled it back at her sister, this time with the length of chain behind it, the blade going behind her back while Ruby slammed a powerful kick at her sister's chest after weaving between her punches!

Her kick knocked Yang back into the flaming scythe just as it let loose blast of fire, devastating her aura, bringing her to the brink of her Semblance. With a wide, sweeping kick Ruby hit her standing scythe with the back of her heel, sending the hilt behind her with enough force to knock away Neo's dagger before Ruby quickly stomped down on the curve of her blade on the ground sending the hilt back up as she spun to face her mentor. Twirling into another kick Ruby forced the hilt down, slamming it into Neo's open parasol!

Bringing her boot back down as quickly as she could Ruby kicked up the base of her weapon near the blade while grabbing the top of the hilt just above where it made contact with Neo's umbrella, leveraging it against her opponent's parasol Ruby pulled back with all her strength and weight sending the blade flying up at Neo behind her only means of defense. Neo's pink and brown eyes grew wide as the blade lit up inches away from her…

 **Fwooosh!**

Neo was sent flying back, tumbling across the ground, her blade and umbrella falling where she had stood before Ruby. The diminutive woman lay still in the short, cool grass and for a moment, Ruby thought she had claimed victor… but then, to her surprise, Neo slowly began to rise, her body shaking and her breathing heavy and labored, but she still had aura, she could still fight.

Behind her, Yang also stood, her gauntlets loaded and ready for another exchange, but Ruby was seriously feeling the fatigue of battle. One way or the other, she knew their next bout would probably be the last of this fight. Then, she was taken very aback by what she saw as Yang calmly walked around Ruby, giving her little sister a cautious, wide berth before walking in front of Neo, seeming to be coming to her defense.

Ruby faced them, wearily watching her sister and her adoptive sister, Yang almost seemed protective of Neo, the action was so unexpected it was almost surreal. Even so, Ruby forced herself to focus, her chain retracting her other scythe until they were separated by a short length, Ruby resting the chain over her shoulder with one scythe in front of her and the other behind her. Her strength waning fast, she put one foot slightly forward and braced herself.

"Aaaah!" With a belligerent scream Yang charged at Ruby, her fist reared back ready to strike down at her little sister. However Ruby was ready and as Yang leaped forward, recklessly throwing all her weight and strength into her punch, Ruby threw herself into a flip, kicking her scythe up with her while it burst into flames! _Got you!_

Her scythe struck Yang with a devastating cloud of fire… but then, Yang's visage shattered like glass before vanishing into nothing. Ruby's heart skipped a beat as a horrifying realization hit her. She turned her head to the side, still in mid air and for just an instant, she saw Yang, and then a powerful, crushing impact hit her.

Ruby's limp body skipped across the ground like a stone over water before rolling to a stop, her aura wiped completely out by the unbelievably powerful punch Yang had unleashed. Her scythe's lay in the grass where she once was… the fight was over, and she had lost.

"Yeah, we kicked her butt!" Yang cheered excitedly, raising her hand up to Neo with a wide, satisfied grin. They were both sore, covered in scorch marks and smelled like sweat and ash but they were victorious.

Neo looked perplexed at Yang for a moment, but then her face lit up with with a bright, genuine smile. Neo slapped her teammate's palm with her own, more than happy to share the gesture after their victory. She felt… nice, there was a time when Roman was the only person she cared about, but then Ruby came into her life… now, she had a team, and she found herself caring deeply for them.

"Come on, we should probably go see if she's still breathing." Yang giggled, motioning with a jerk of her head for Neo to follow as they made their way to Ruby who had rolled herself over, huffing for breath in the grass as she stared up at the sky.

"You alive down there Sis?" Yang chuckled holding out her hand, on the other side Neo did the same.

"Barely." Ruby laughed weakly as she took her sisters' hands and shakily stood up, dusting herself off. "When did you two learn to work together like that?"

"Well we are a team, we can't let you be the only one getting stronger, Neo's even agreed to teach me some of her moves, I kinda have a problem with relying too much on brute force." Yang bashfully rubbed the back of her head.

"I'm really happy to hear that." Ruby's soft, thankful smile gave her sisters pause as she looked down at her calloused hands, her eyes clouded with tears of relief. "I care about you all and… I know we've got a lot to face, and it seems like the whole world is out to get us, but I really wouldn't want to be facing it without all three of you. It- it makes me so happy that you-"

"You seriously crying about it?!" Mercury gently put his hand on her shoulder, Ruby looked up at her boyfriend, he was wearing the same reassuring smiles that her Neo and Yang wore when she turned to them.

"Like you said, we've got a lot against us, but we're pretty good at kicking ass and we all have something in common to keep this team together so you can stop worrying now. We're a team, we've got each other's backs." His grin grew more playful as he moved his hand atop her head, messing up her short black hair. Ruby couldn't help but giggle softly as she grabbed his hand, pulling it from her head and holding it tight while she fell back against him with a content smile on her lips.

"He's right," Yang smirked, her hands on her hips. "Mercury is a smart ass delinquent who's dating my little sister, Neo is a mute sociopath who took you in when you lost your memory and I'm your rage filled big sister with PTSD who betrayed everything I believed in and everyone I know to be on this team with you. We're a weirdly perfect fit."

"Yang." Ruby rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her sister's far too blunt assessment of their team, even so, she could see a brightness in her sister's eyes and in her smile, she was actually happy to be here and so was Neo and as she felt Mercury wrap his arm around her, holding her close… Ruby felt at home.


	53. Sisters

"Don't sweat it Sis, you're getting really good really fast with Soul Eclipsor." Yang tried her best to be reassuring as they walked back from their intense sparring. Beside her Neo nodded in agreement.

"You haven't had it for very long and it's way different from the scythe you used in the tournament, not to mention you've been pushing yourself way too hard with your morning workouts. If you weren't already hopelessly exhausted you might have actually won against Yang and Neo." Mercury stood beside Ruby, walking together hand in hand together while his girlfriend looked shyly at the ground.

"Merc's right, you're way too hard on yourself." Yang concurred, trying to conceal the worry that was growing in her stomach towards her little sister. Ruby hadn't given herself a break since they left home and apparently, even before that she trained with Neo every single day on their way back from getting her new weapon.

"I'm fine." Despite her huffing insistence, Mercury could feel her hand shaking in his, her muscles so weak from fatigue that she was struggling to walk through the forest back to their camp. She didn't complain, but she didn't need to, they could all tell; she wasn't fine.

Neo narrowed her eyes in annoyance and Ruby's blatant lie, folding her arms over her chest, still, Ruby didn't look up from the ground, feeling anxious as her entire team, even her boyfriend felt like they were pushing her and ganging up on her. She knew they were just worried about her and she appreciated it but… _I'm fine. I can't slow down, there's too much against us and if I'm weak, if their leader is weak, we won't survive this. I have to stay strong… for them._

"No offense but you're full of crap and you know it." Mercury came to an abrupt stop, jerking Ruby's hand back and with very little effort, Ruby fell backwards, her reactions slow and her muscles too weak to catch herself. Shutting her eyes she braced for a hard fall… but instead, she came to a stop halfway down, falling shoulders first into Mercury's outstretched arm as he caught her. Ruby blinked, staring up at her boyfriend who looked down at her, his brows raised dubiously, but also feeling pretty satisfied that his point had been made.

"Ruby, you're a badass but you're still human, you need to take a break or you'll burn yourself out." Yang and Neo stopped, their expressions sincere with worry as Mercury helped Ruby stand upright on her own again.

"Look, I'm fine, I promise…" Ruby didn't even sound like she was convincing herself, and she couldn't so much as meet the worried eyes of her teammates, instead opting to stare somberly at the grass around her feet. Even without looking she could practically feel the concern they held for her through the air and it burned her up inside, rage flared in her chest directed solely at herself as she balled her fists at her sides. _Damn it! I'm not even strong enough to keep them from worrying about me!_

"I- I'm going to go on ahead… I'll see you back at camp." Her voice was little more than a weak whisper.

"Ruby… we just want to-" As he reached his hand out to her shoulder… she vanished, leaving him grasping as rose petals and otherwise empty air. With the little strength she had left she moved ahead of them before slowly walking through the trees back towards their camp, supporting herself again the large trunks as she passed them until she was out of sight. Her teammates were left standing as the petals fell to the ground around them while they stared into the woods.

"That girl needs an intervention." Yang deadpanned, eliciting a firm nod of agreement from the more than willing Neo.

"Hold on, I get where you're coming from but I don't think that's the best idea." Mercury turned to them, putting his hands into hits pants' pockets. "If we all come down on her like that it'll go about as well as it just did, she'll either run or push back harder, it won't help."

"Oh yeah?" Yang glared at him tilting her head back slightly. "What would you suggest then?"

"We need different approach, we pick just one of us to talk to her and try to get her to tone it down and take it easy." He looked from Neo to Yang, ignoring the hostility in the latter's gaze directed at him. _I know her, she's not going to like feeling pushed, she'll be a lot open to listening if just one of us talks to her one on one._

"Alright," Yang gave a soft sigh, relaxing her body and expelling her defensiveness. She couldn't help but be disarmed by the genuine caring in his cool gray eyes. "Which one of us should talk to her though?"

"Well, as good as I apparently am at dealing with other people's issues, I think you should do it." Mercury shrugged his shoulders as he looked to Yang, Neo's gaze following his as she looked up at the taller girl beside her, tilting her head to the side as she leaned forward waiting for her answer.

"So… you want me to talk to her?" Yang's tone was soft but Mercury couldn't mistake the subtle hint of melancholy behind her words.

"Look, I know you two haven't really talked much since we left. We all know you still care about Ruby, I think she knows that too, but it seems like you've been putting distance between you and her, I know she's picked up on it and it's bothering her."

"I… I'm not-"

"Just suck it up and talk to your sister before she gets herself killed." Mercury gave a heavy sigh of frustration, trying and failing to keep his cool. "Whatever the reason for you keeping her at arm's length you need to get over it and talk to her."

After a moment of processing, swaying her head gently back and forth, Neo seemed to make up her mind, throwing her umbrella over her shoulder as she walked over to Mercury, standing beside him and looking expectantly at Yang, literally taking his side after being won over by his argument. Yang however, seemed less than thrilled.

"Fine…" At that moment Yang understood what Mercury was saying about feeling defensive when your team seems like they're ganging up on you. Still… _He's not wrong and Ruby needs help. Merc is good at reading people, it's annoying how he does that._

"Neo and I will get some firewood for tonight while you talk to her." Mercury gave Yang a small, thankful smile before turning away. Neo lingered a few moments longer with a worried look directed at her partner before Yang gave a half hearted grin, trying to reassure her that she was fine. Neo knew Yang was far from okay, but there wasn't anything she could do… reluctantly, she turned away, following Mercury and leaving Yang standing alone.

"I guess I don't have a choice now…" Gulping down her hesitation Yang forced herself to move, walking after her little sister towards their camp.

* * *

Ruby lay sprawled out in the grass, her weapon haphazardly thrown beside her as she stared up at the light blue sky, fluffy white clouds floating overhead. Every muscle in Ruby's body felt like they had been replaced by pure lead. It was the most exhausted she had felt since her fight with Qrow and then team the two members of Team CFVY right after during the tournament. As she watched the lazy clouds drift in the sky above she felt her eyelids growing heavy… _Maybe a nap wouldn't be the worst idea in the world_

"Um, Ruby? You awake down there?"

"Hey Yang." Begrudgingly Ruby forced her eyes open, her eyelid muscles being about the only part of her body was wasn't sore. "What's up?"

"Not much… mind if I join you?" Yang was unusually awkward and uncomfortable around her sister, looking nervously away from her big silver eyes as she rocked back and forth on her heels.

"I guess, it's a free forest." Ruby shrugged indifferently, having a pretty good idea about why Yang was really there. Regardless, Yang lay beside her, putting her hands behind her head. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them as Yang struggled to find the words she wanted to say… then, as she fretted over the words, she noticed that the forest was anything but silent; Birds and insects hummed and chirped, the wind rustled the bright green leaves of the trees and in the distance she could hear her two other teammates snapping branches for firewood.

Warm sunlight beamed down, scattered by the swaying leaves before it gently warmed Yang's skin, glowing off her bright blonde hair. A strange tranquility washed over her as she closed her eyes, taking in the sounds and warmth and scent of the forest. With a long, deep breath, Yang calmed herself and opened her eyes. _I just need to say how I feel… I can do this._

"Ruby… we're all worried about you." Yang's soft voice carried over the light wind to her sister laying beside her and for another long moment, nothing was said.

"I know." Ruby finally spoke up, the sadness and isolation in her voice made Yang's heart ache.

"You need to slow down, we can't keep watching you kill yourself every day to keep up with some impossible standard you've set for yourself or whatever is going through your mind that's making you work yourself into oblivion." Yang rolled on her side to face her little sister, her lilac eyes were sharp with conviction as she looked to Ruby who merely kept staring at the sky.

"Cinder, the kingdoms, whoever was pulling Cinder's strings, the huntsmen, your former team and their friends from Beacon, the police, Cinder's allies, the White Fang, the Atlas military and the remaining Academies, they're all against us and they will come after us, basically the whole world. Yang, you, Neo and Mercury, you're the only people left in the world I can rely on, the people I care about most and I'm your leader, I can't afford to slow down, I won't let anyone else die because I was too weak." Ruby's voice was cold as the most bitter frost, her silver eyes chilled with a deep pain as her lip quivered ever so slightly as she bit back the powerful feelings that were constricting her throat.

"Ruby…" Yang didn't know what to say and a small, shameful part of her felt angry at her little sister. She knew what Ruby was talking about, or rather, who she lost that still haunted her… the man that took her little sister from her. Empathy and love for Ruby quickly snuffed out the anger and jealousy in her heart, taking a soft breath, she let out any feelings that might get in the way of helping her.

"I'll always be by your side, whatever is coming we'll all face it together but you can't burn yourself out before-"

"Then why are you pulling away from me!?" The cold in her voice was burned away but a pain filled fire as she rolled herself onto her side, her silver eyes glistened with tears that pooled on their surface as she clenched her jaw against the sobbing that threatened to escape her throat.

"Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about! I have my memories back, I know how things used to be between us but ever since we left home you've barely talked to me without Neo or Mercury! Admit it, deep down you still hate me for what I've done! How am I supposed to do this without you!? I- I don't know where I belong, aside from you, Mercury and Neo are the only people left, I'd put my life in their hands… I'd put my life in your hands Sis… I love you just like before. I know that what I did, everything I've done, I hurt so many people and- Aah!" Ruby let out a yelp of pain as she clutched her head in her hands, feeling like a lightning bolt shot through her scar into her brain.

"Ruby! Ruby what's wrong!" Yang reached out her hand to do something, anything to comfort the girl curled up in a ball of agony before her… but it was smacked away. Ruby's eyes were wide and… different, darker somehow for only a moment before she was left gasping for breath, the pain seemed to pass as she began to look more like herself.

"I'm okay… just answer me. Yang, do you hate me? I need to know, for everyone's sake." She earnestly met her older sister's eyes, trying to put the pain in her head behind her as it ebbed.

"You killed people Ruby… but that's not even the worst part." Her voice was soft and broken, Ruby could feel the pain and confusion behind every word as Yang rolled onto her back.

"The worst part is… I don't hate you. I still love you with all my heart and no matter what you did, I want to fight the world with you. That scares me Ruby… I'm not a bad person, but neither are you, or Mercury or Neo, but I- I don't know if I could live with myself if I had to kill someone for you, after what you did. Honestly, I'm not sure I can live with myself now because… I think I am willing to do something terrible if it means protecting you. I'm afraid Sis, I'm afraid of what I'll have to chose to do if you do decide to join Cinder…" Drops shimmered in the sunlight as they flowed down her cheeks.

"Yang… I'm sorry." Her voice was high and choked, the dam that held back her swelling emotions burst and tears streamed down her face. In an instant the fierce warrior, murdered and terrorist she had become was burned away, leaving a broken and lost little girl in their ashes. A powerful urge gripped her entire self, so much so she didn't even try to fight it. With all the strength left in her weak, fatigued body, Ruby pulled herself, closing the short distance between her and her sister… before pulling Yang into a tight, warm hug, crying into her shoulder.

"I just don't know what to do…" Yang's words were little more than muffled whispered as she held Ruby tight, trembling as her bottled up emotions spilled out, her jaw clenched as tears poured down as she closed her eyes. As Yang felt the small, warm, quivering girl in her arms, a familiar heat ignited in her heart, a protectiveness and love like no other that dried her tears while a soft smile shined through.

"I- I don't know what to do either Yang… and I'm scared." The admission she had been holding back for so long slipped easily out as she felt her big sister's arms around her, soft, weak sobs followed her breaths as she cried into the strong shoulder like she did when she was little. Then, a familiar sound eased her crying as Yang began to hum softly a nostalgic melody, a song that eased her heart and dried her tears as she was rocked tenderly in Yang's embrace.

 _I will protect you Ruby… I'll always be there for you._


	54. The Resilient Flower: Part 1

"Weiss!" Thistle screamed at the top of her lungs as she sprinted to her girlfriend. However, just before she reached her… the ship lurched, and a fiery explosion ejected from the hole Thistle had created… and then… they began to fall!

The ship pitched to its side and Weiss rolled off its edge falling limply towards the ground, her sword following close behind. Without hesitation Thistle dived off the edge, sending out another explosion to propel herself faster, her vision dimmed until Weiss was just a blur of white… but as soon as she felt her hand touch the soft fabric of Weiss' dress Thistle loosed another explosion!

As the couple fell Thistle grabbed hold of Weiss, tears fell from her eyes as they tumbled through the air. Her hand shakily found her's and Thistle entwined her fingers with Weiss' as she wrapped one around around her. Even as they plummeted… a soft smile formed from Thistle's lips and she held Weiss just a little bit tighter.

 _This isn't fair… there's so much more I wanted to experience with you and the others. Weiss… I wish it were just me in this situation, I'm the one that deserves this. I dragged you along without thinking and now… I… I need to tell you this… just this one thing… it doesn't matter if you hear me… but I need to say it._

Thistle took a long deep breath. Over the sound of rushing wind and her own racing heart, she doubted she would even hear herself… even so, she held Weiss just a little tighter and rested her head on her shoulder, putting her lips by Weiss' ear.

"Weiss… I love you."

With the last of her strength Thistle rolled Weiss on top of her so Thistle lay between Weiss and the rapidly approaching ground, she shut her eyes tight and held Weiss as she braced for impact.

She squeezed her girlfriend tight, her arms wrapped around her chest, holding Weiss' arms at her sides and keeping her close so she wouldn't fall. Thistle couldn't turn around to see how far the ground was, she had to rely entirely on perfect timing but without being able to see, she didn't know if they were both going to survive the fall. Her heart pounded in her chest as mortal terror gripped her entire body, the ground could have been more moments away… _but I only have enough strength for one more explosion, if I use it up too soon…_

Her teeth gritted painfully, in her grasp Weiss slept peacefully, it was the only solace she had the her leader wouldn't be awake in case Thistle failed… she would die without any fear at all. Opening her clouded eyes she took one last look at the clear night sky, the shattered moon shining overhead before her gaze shifted to the girl held in her arms. _I'm sorry Weiss, I promise, I'll get you out of this alive._

Suddenly, a new sound overwhelmed the air that rushed over her ears. At first the sound was faint, but as they plummeted, the frantic noises of gunfire and screaming grew louder and clearer. With a soft, deep breath, Thistle took one last look at Weiss… before closing her eyes and praying.

 **Boom!**

Thistle loosed a powerful explosion beneath her, the concussive force felt as though it had sheared her flesh from her back with the raw force, her aura too weak to protect her yet still she held on tight, keeping herself between Weiss and the ground and then… a powerful, painful impact knocked the wind out of her lungs and sent a pain greater than anything she had ever felt radiating from her lower back through her entire body before her head slammed into the same hard surface.

Thistle's consciousness was fading fast, her vision went dark but she was sure they must have hit the ground, but she couldn't even tell if she was still holding on to Weiss. Desperately she fought against the encroaching hazy darkness that swallowed her mind, struggling to move anything.

"Oh god… Thistle! Thistle hold on!" A familiar voice sounding so distant, yet so close frantically screamed her name. Through the darkness, Thistle could feel only one sensation; warm drops landing on her skin, she couldn't even tell where, but an image of a beautiful girl with long white hair a deep dazzling cool blue eyes sitting beside her, crying as she held her hand was the last thing in her mind before everything faded away.

* * *

"Weiss!" Thistle bolted up, her entire body was drenched in sweat, her heart pounded in her chest as she huffed for breath. Her small form trembled under the thin blankets and in the darkness a silhouette raised its hand to its face while Thistle wiped away the sweat from her brow.

Taking long, steady breaths Thistle calmed her breathing and slowed her heart, easing herself out of the adrenaline from her recurring nightmare. Her mouth was dry and her body felt at once burning hot and freezing cold but still, with a shake of her head she forced herself to move. Range and depression, sensations at once hot and cold filled her chest as she struggled to bring her legs over the side of them bed. She stared down at them and for a moment, she couldn't decide which she felt more at the sight of her now nearly useless legs; hatred for herself... or hatred for Ruby.

 _Damn it… I think I'm crying. Good thing it's dark and my team isn't here to see me all pathetic like this._ Giving a heavy, defeated sigh, Thistle forced herself up, grabbing onto the metal rail screwed into the wall by her bed to give her support, she could feel her legs wanting to give out beneath her, but she gritted her teeth and reached for her crutches.

She could barely manage to amble as she slowly and carefully crossed the dark room. Squinting her bleary eyes she finally saw the shape of her small desk and with one final push she threw her crutches aside, letting them fall on the floor as she collapsed, catching herself on the surface of her desk as she legs gave out.

Her breaths were labored and heavy, her legs couldn't even support half her weight for much longer so as quickly as she could could she put all her upper weight on one arm while her other arm shot downwards, pulling out the bench just as her legs failed. She fell to her bench harder than she wanted, an involuntary gasp leaving her lips as waves of pain shot up her spine.

Her fists balled and her body tensed as much as it could without worsening the pain. Thistle just sat there, perfectly still and silent as she tried to out-wait the agony. The minutes rolled on and slowly but surely the pain ebbed and a soft sigh of relief escaped her. With her mind unclouded by pain she adjusted her legs as carefully as she could while she clicked on the lamp and pulled out a pen and paper from the small drawer and started writing.

 _Dear Weiss;_

 _Hey, it's been a bit since I've written you and well… honestly, I can't sleep. Things aren't great over here, but I haven't stopped fighting, not even for a second! I think I'm just going stir crazy or something, there isn't much to do here. Don't get me wrong, this is one of the best rehab facilities in Remnant and they specially cater to police, military and Huntsman and Huntresses so they really know what they're doing, they even have aura specialists to help speed the healing process along and a bunch of really cool tech._

 _Still, it feels like I've been here forever. It feels weird, our team being so broken… everything is broken. I miss Penny and Pyrrha, I miss our team, I miss walking and going to class and having fun and I miss you Weiss, I miss you so much. I think about you, to help keep me going when it gets hard to see the silver lining to all of this, I had that picture we took together in front of the CCT when we went to go look for information about the White Fang, anyway, I had it made into a locket, it's the only picture I have of just the two of us. I look at it to help me pick myself up when I'm down, like I said, I haven't stopped fighting._

 _I've only gotten one letter from you… or anyone actually, Blake and Yang lost touch, I don't even know where they are. Jaune, Nora and Ren have dropped by a couple times and I can't even begin to tell you how much seeing them helped lift my spirits. I'm not used to feeling so weak, but it's good to know I still have them in my corner when everything else is falling apart._

 _My physical therapy is going well… but too slow, way, way too slow. I get frustrated, some days it doesn't even seem like I'm making progress at all, those are they days I look at my locket a lot. Someday soon Weiss, I'm going to come see you and nothing, not my legs, not your father or the whole SDC or even Ruby will stop me from seeing you again. I haven't given up, I promise… I haven't given up on us, on the fight, on myself or on our team. I still have faith and I still have hope because I can still see the silver lining and I'm fighting every day to see it again, my silver lining, a while light in the darkness._

 _…_ _okay, don't laugh at me, I literally just woke up, I know I'm not the best at being sweet or poetic but it's genuinely how I feel!_

 _I'll be sending this letter out first thing in the morning, I don't know if I will get a letter back from you, but it doesn't matter to me, because I know I'll be seeing you in person soon. Like I said, I have faith._

 _Sincerely; your resilient flower, Thistle Tsvetok._

With a heavy heart, Thistle let her pen fall from her hand, it's impact against the cold, hard wood of the desk filled the air with a gently clacking before silence once again took over.

 _I'll see you soon Weiss, and when I do... I'm going to tell you that I love you._

* * *

Her teeth gritted as she scowled against the weakness in her legs, her teeth bared and her hands gripping the wooden rails as tight as she could. She was only halfway there and her legs already felt like they were dead.

Thistle was in her morning physical therapy, a brightly lit room with a padded floor with mirrors parallel on two of the opposing walls. This was one of those days where her efforts seemed in vain. She could see her physical therapist, a tall, tan skinned and well muscled man in shorts and a tight t-shirt, he had receeding black hair, big, light brown eyes and wore glasses. His name was Bracken and he had been with her since the beginning and was the only person she liked working with.

"Come on Thistle, you're halfway there, you made this walk two days ago so don't even bother telling me you can't do it." He said impatiently, but with a challenging smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try." Thistle fired back, taking another agonizingly difficult step forward.

"Well hurry your ass up and I'll show you how it's done." He grinned, folding his arms over his chest.

"Oh Ha-ha, you know what I meant!" Thistle rolled her eyes, finding it strangely easier and easier as their banter went on.

"Please, I could do this with both arms tied behind my back, screw it, you can even tie one of my legs back too, I'll hope across it faster than you on both feet at the pathetic rate you're going." Bracken chuckled, much to Thistle's annoyance.

"You know, that smart ass attitude isn't going to win you any employee of the month awards, bet you don't get many thank-you notes after people are finally done with you." Thistle had already cleared another quarter of the way to him, she was struggling, but less than before, he always knew how to light a fire under her. With each step her pace got ever so slightly quicker and her steps grew just a little more solid and steady.

"Are you kidding?! People would never want to leave, I'm way too charming, that's why I have to be a smart ass, even then I get masochists like you who thrive off of it. Just don't ask to move in once your legs are better." With an exaggerated laugh at his own humor he leaned against one of the rails, looking expectantly at Thistle.

"I wouldn't dream of it, seriously, I get enough of you… here." Thistle blinked in astonishment as she looked up at him, less than a foot away, Bracken smiling proudly as she looked from him to her feet… she had made it.

"Good job Thistle, I knew you had it in you." He put his large hand on her small shoulder, feeling proud and happy for her, having gotten pretty attached to the fiery girl over the time he oversaw her therapy, knowing full well how important every little victory is in recovery.

"I made it… it barely even hurt." She still couldn't believe it, looking back to where she started the distance which seemed massive at the beginning now seemed so trivially small. That last half went by like nothing and for just an instant, she felt a sense of normalcy.

"You're going to do just fine, you'll be out of my hair before you know it." He patted her gently on her shoulder before pulling his hand back, Thistle smiling playfully up at him, her soft purple eyes had a spark of life in them that made him happy and it was the thing that really made his day, seeing that spark.

"What hair?" With a smirk Thistle took his arm as he helped her her walk back over to her wheelchair. _I'm getting stronger Weiss… I haven't given up._


	55. The Resilient Flower: Part 2

"So, this is the next part of my treatment? How come we didn't start with this sooner?" Thistle looked down that the contraptions locked around her legs, two long metal rods strapped to either side of each leg with joints at her knees, all held up with a ring around her waist and straps crossing her chest before wrapping over her shoulders and running down her back.

"The exo limbs are only for mid to late stage therapy, it helps to not grow overly reliant on them but it'll help you become more accustomed to walking normally again." Bracken smiled from behind Thistle as he fastened the straps at her lower back.

"Well… I'll try it out I guess." She was dubious at best, and though she wouldn't admit it, she was a little frightened at the prospect of having a machine walk for her. In her heart a small fire of bitter rage ignited, manifesting only a soft sigh to keep her therapist from worrying. _Therapy for months and this is what I'm reduced to!? Damn it, I hate this…_

"Alright, turn it on with that switch at your waist and you'll be good to go. The battery lasts a good fifteen ours but you'll be limited to using it for only five hours a day and then we'll slowly taper you off." He stepped back, putting his hands on his hips with his usual casual smile on his face. "We'll start with something simple, first I just want you to flick the switch and turn towards me."

"Okay… here goes." Shaking away her anger Thistle hesitantly moved her hand down, the belt was heavy and cold as her fingertips brushed against the hard, smooth metal. After a moment to gather her courage she hit the switch and a small green light turned on.

With a nervous gulp Thistle struggled to command her legs to move, it was always getting started that was the hardest part for her but after a moment of fighting with her own body, her left leg began to slowly rise. She was pleasantly surprised by how smooth and natural the machine felt as it took some of the weight of her leg, slowly lifting it up along with her, the metal plate beneath her foot pushing her leg at the same time as her own muscles. For a moment she had forgotten exactly how to turn, her legs had been all but useless for so long and the machine she was strapped to wasn't helping her navigate her own body. After an immensely frustrating few seconds she slowly and steadily turned to face Bracken.

"There, that wasn't so bad now was it?" Even when he was being reassuring he still sounded like a smart ass. Thistle couldn't be sure if that's just who he was, of if he knew that a smart ass was exactly what she needed.

"It still feels weird, but it's not as bad as I was expecting." With a shrug she gingerly lifted one leg before placing it back down and repeating with the other leg, trying to get the hang of it and growing accustom to the feel.

"Don't worry, you'll probably only need that thing for a few more weeks at the rate you've been going." His playful smile softened with pride and compassion. "You're getting better, don't get discouraged."

"I'm doing my best… It's just frustrating." Her gaze fell bitterly to the floor and her voice held a spiteful edge completely aimed towards herself.

"I understand, but things will get better. You might not be able to see it, but I've been doing this for years and I'm honestly impressed by how quickly you're improving so just keep fighting and you'll be out of here ready to kick ass again before you know it." Over the months they had spent together, he and Thistle had grown close, she talked to him more than her designated psychotherapist. For Thistle, Bracken was the only one who didn't treat her like she was made of glass and that helped more than a coddle session talking about her feelings ever could.

"Well… I guess I better start trying to get used to looking like a cheap sci-fi villain for a while." Thistle looked up with a smirk, a lively spark in her soft purple eyes lit up her whole face.

"Hey, Tsvetok already sounds villainous so you've got that going for you." He snickered.

"Hey, my last name means 'flower', that's hardly intimidating." She raised her eyebrows at him, her arms folded over her chest while she shifted her legs in place.

"Well now that you've told me that you're like thirty percent less tough to me. Thistle Flower, come on, it's adorable!" He burst out in a genuine fit of laughter at her expense, struggling to breath as her expression grew more and more indignant.

"Yeah well go a round with me after I get better and we'll see if you still think I'm adorable after I kick your ass!" She took a firm, stomping step forward towards him, glaring up at him. However, it wasn't until his laughter subsided and his smile became more smug that she followed his gaze down and realized… she had just moved her leg without even struggling.

"You're gonna be alright." He felt immense satisfaction as she stared down at her leg in awe, slowly retracting it and lifting it with ease. "So, how about we go for a walk around town?"

"You think I'm ready for that much?" Thistle blinked at him, feeling hope and confidence swelling in her chest as he nodded.

"I know you are."

* * *

"People are staring at me." Thistle growled beneath her breath. It was a beautiful spring day, the sun shined down from the cloudless sky and a very gentle breeze swirled around them as they walked slowly down the sidewalk of the modest shopping district in town.

"Since when do you care what people think?" He looked down at her and then around them and as he looked at the passersby they quickly averted their eyes from the small redheaded girl.

"I don't, it's just annoying… people looking at me like I need pity or something. After the fall of Beacon my story was on the news, I bet they just ate up that sob story, now everyone thinks I'm some broken and fragile little girl… it pissed me off!" As her anger flared, so did the pain in her spine, a sharp pain that rolled like waves through her entire body from her lower back… and that only pissed her off more.

"Sure sounds like you care." He said nonchalantly. "You really need to stop worry what people think and start seriously focusing on getting better."

"I know… I know you're right, it just sucks. I hate feeling so helpless." With a furious huff she walked a little bit faster, however she could feel the machine getting less smooth the faster she walked.

"Just because you can't walk much by yourself doesn't mean you're helpless." Bracken's tone was surprisingly scolding as he put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her back just slightly to make her slow her pace. "You're one of the most tenacious people I've ever worked with, give yourself some credit."

"Sorry… I wasn't really thinking, just complaining." With a stressed sigh she turned around and started walking down the sidewalk without him.

 _I'm glad Weiss isn't here to see me like this, it's pathetic. At least I can walk pretty much normally with this machine and Bracken seemed confident that I'll be back to my old self soon… but somehow I feel like we have different definitions of "soon". Jaune, Nora and Ren are all waiting on me to recover, they want me to come with and it pissed me off that I'm the one holding them up!_ Her small fists balled at her side as she was consumed with impotent anger.

"Hey," Bracken briskly jogged up to her, looking even more worried as she refused to meet his eyes. "There's something else going on, isn't there?"

"What do you mean?" She growled defensively, but she knew he was probably going to be right anyway.

"I know you, you're covering up something that's bothering you by getting angry at trivial things." He stepped in front of her, forcing her to stop but something about his statement seemed off to Thistle.

"Did my therapist tell you to say that?" She looked up at him suspiciously. "Sounds like something she said to me in our last session, she told you to relay that to me because she thinks I'll actually listen to you."

"Well, she's not wrong and I agree with her, otherwise I wouldn't be pushing this right now so come on, what's really going on? Does it have to do with Weiss?" He knew he hit the nail on the head as she visibly stiffened, her eyes averting as she folded her arm over her chest defensively.

"That's none of your business." She spat, withdrawing back… but he could hear it in the most subtle hints of her voice, he was pretty sure she wanted him to push; so he did.

"Come on, she's all you ever talk about, you even told me the story of how you asked her out at the dance so you know you can talk to me about her if something is bothering you." His tone was pleading and his light brown eyes softened with empathy and after a few hesitant glances away from him, Thistle finally broke down.

"She's only written me back twice and the most recent letter I got from her… it wasn't good news." Her voice was cold and hopeless as she looked up to him. "Things aren't going great for her at home and there's nothing I can do for her, my body is broken and useless! I couldn't save her from Torchwick and Ruby and I can't save her now!"

"You can get better." It sounded so simple but the degree of gravity in his voice was undeniable. "You can get better for her and be there for her when you're ready."

"When if I'm not ready when she needs me?!" The words came as a defensive, indignant snarl before they even registered in her mind, her emotions took the wheel as her stared up at him, her lips quivering and her eyes glistened as tears pooled on their soft purple surface.

"What if my team, my friends, my loved ones, what if they all need me and I'm just not ready yet!? People could die! I'm a Huntress, I need to be out there, fighting to protect the people I care about! Instead I'm stuck struggling to even walk on my own while my team is out there, my friends are waiting on me and my girlfriend is trapped at home in a terrible family situation and I'm just useless to do anything about it right now!" The air around the small girl trembled and hissed, her Semblance responding to her overwhelming rage, bitter teardrops rolled down her cheeks as she bared her teeth at him.

"Thistle, you just have to be patient…"

"I'm sick of being patient!" She stomped her foot down and loosed an explosion from beneath her foot, shattering the concrete beneath her and filling the otherwise fairly quiet down with a deafening boom!

"I'm going back…" Her voice became ice cold as the air around her quelled, her eyes dulled with depression and before he could say another word… she turned around and walked away

* * *

 _Dear Weiss,_

 _This will be the last letter I send to you for a while, I'd rather not say why because I know it'll make you stressed out but don't worry okay, I'll be fine. Your last letter… it has me worried, I wish I could be there for you, though I know your family might not be thrilled to meet your girlfriend, I still wish I could do something for you… I wish I could have done something that night._

 _Physical therapy has been going really well, I've made a lot of progress and I think I'm ready to move on._

 _I'll be seeing you soon Weiss._

 _Sincerely; Thistle._

With a soft sigh she clicked the top of the pen, retracting the tip as she looked up from the paper to the night sky. She was at a bus stop, a small glass and metal box with just enough light to write her final letter. Her hand fell to her side, her fingers gently moving across the cold metal of her exo-legs. _Well, I guess I should get going._

She forced herself to stand, her legs nearly buckling but the machine kept her steady enough to get up. Carefully she folded the letter into her pocket and started walking away from the terminal, her head turned up as she gazed at the clear, starry sky. The night air was crisp, unusually cold for the mid spring, so much so that she could even see her breath. Still, she brushed it off, putting her hands in her pockets for warmth while carefully trying not to damage her letter as she walked underneath the streetlights.

 _Okay, I'm pretty sure it's this way._ She scanned the innocuous houses, in the dark they all pretty much looked the same and for a moment Thistle felt extremely jealous of Blake's night vision. Thistle rummaged around in her pocket before pulling out her Scroll, swiping through it until she found her texts from the person she was looking for. _Alright, so this is the right street and the house should be…_

"Here…" Thistle whispered, looking up at another samey house. With a steadying breath of the cold night air, she steeled herself, putting her Scroll back in her pocket. With a resigned shrug she forced herself to walk down the concrete path leading to the front porch. _I really, really hope this is the right place._

Her heavy, machine augmented steps echoed against the hardwood and with every footfall she flinched, even though she knew her knocking would be far more intrusive than her steps. Even so she found herself breath a stifled sigh of relief as she reached the front door and before her nerves could get to her she knocked loudly and clearly against the door… and then she waited.

 _Wait… what if someone else opens the door? Crap, I probably should have called first or something._ Her heart started beating faster in her chest as her anxiety grew. Within the home she could hear heavy footsteps approaching her, still, she couldn't run so she gulped down her fear and waited. With agonizing slowness the doorknob rattled and turned before it was pulled open.

"Thistle? It's four in the morning, what's going on?" Jaune said sleepily as he rubbed his eyes… but he was jerked into alertness as Thistle abruptly grabbed him by his collar and pulled him down, her soft purple eyes burning into him even through the darkness.

"Get Nora and Ren… we're going after Ruby."

* * *

 **Author's Note-**

 **I just wanted to thank everyone who's read and reviewed the story thus far, I'm about to hit 100,000 views with this chapter and I'm very happy that this story has been largely so well received. The reviews especially help keep me motivated so I'm super grateful for the consistent feedback (and the praise doesn't hurt either ^/^). Anyway, thanks bunches for reading and I'm eager to continue this story!**


	56. The Settlement: Part 1

"Neo it's hot! Give me some of your umbrella!" Yang whined as she trudged along down the path with her team in the middle of an exceptionally sweltering mid spring day. Her bag felt heavy, her clothes were soaked with sweat and her feet were sore from the long walk. All of which she would be fine with if it wasn't so damn hot. In front of her, Ruby and Mercury walked closely side by side while Neo slowed her pace to match Yang's.

Neo looked at her for a long moment, her expressive eyes showing her ponderance as she debated silently within herself, leaving Yang to suffer in the heat while she did so. A playful smirk lit up her face as she twirled her parasol over her shoulder, holding it up but away from her new partner, shielding only herself from the sun, leaving Yang to bake.

"Fine, whatever, I didn't want your stupid umbrella anyway. I'll just-" Before Yang could groan out another word she suddenly felt the sun's hot light ebb from above her as Neo held her parasol over both of them, though her short stature making it awkward to say the least. "Um, thanks… you want me to hold it? I mean, you're kinda, you know… all the way down there and- wait, sorry, that came out wrong! I just meant that it would make more sense for me to hold it."

Neo silently giggled as her partner grew increasingly flustered, her cheeks tinted pink as she frantically tried to stop tripping over her own words which Neo found very amusing. With a small shake of her head she held her umbrella a little higher, offering the handle to her teammate, more than willing to give her arms a rest while still getting some shade, even if she had to share it.

"Sorry, but you know, you're not exactly the easiest person to talk to." Yang sighed as she grabbed the handle of the parasol, walking very close to Neo as she gave them both partial shade. Neo seemed more than content with the arrangement as she stretched her arms out in front of her, keeping close to Yang's side.

"Well those two seem to be getting along." Mercury said just loud enough for his girlfriend to hear him but quiet enough so that the two women following them didn't catch it.

"Yeah, I'm glad. Yang seems a lot more comfortable with us than she did when we left home. It makes me happy… all of us getting along." Ruby smiled softly, closing her eyes as she inched closer to Mercury, their shoulders brushing against each other before she took his hand in her own, focusing on the feeling of his rough skin against hers. It had been a very hard road to get to this point and they all had lost so much, but Ruby felt in her heart that as long as the four of them were together, everything would be alright.

"I'm not hating this either. Definitely didn't see this coming when I first came to Vale with Cinder and Emerald, but this isn't so bad." He grinned, entwining his fingers with hers. "An ex-Huntress turned fugitive, a mute sociopath, and two wanted terrorists all on a suicide mission to find my old boss. Well… at least the weather's nice."

"Don't be so pessimistic! It's a beautiful day, we haven't run into any trouble since we left my house, we're all really strong and only getting stronger and the best part is, no one knows we're coming so we have the element of surprise on our side." Ruby beamed, her bright smiling shining like the sun and almost as bright as her optimism, though Mercury was still dubious.

"You know, as long as we don't get arrested or killed first." He gave a cocksure smirk as he bumped Ruby with his shoulder. "We've got everyone after our head so maybe we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves."

"You worry too much! Everything is going to be-"

"Help!" A voice cried out desperately from down the path. All eyes looked up, Ruby and Mercury's hands parted as they readied for a confrontation.

"You were saying?" Mercury rolled his eyes as he took a fighting pose, beside him Ruby had her hand at her back, ready to pull out her weapon. Behind them Yang's passed off the umbrella back to Neo while her gauntlets unfurled and Neo unsheathed her blade.

"Help!" The voice called out again, louder at it approached. Moments later, they saw a young boy in dirty, worn out clothes running towards them and looking very distressed. As they realized he was merely a child, the team relaxed, Neo and Yang retracting their weapons. As the boy stumbled to a stop, huffing for breath in front of them while the team exchanged confused glances.

"Um… is everything okay?" Ruby asked, bending her knees to be at eye level with the child.

"Y-you, are you Huntsmen?!" The boy looked at them, his eyes on their unusual dress and Yang's metal arm.

"Something like that. Just tell us what's wrong kid." Mercury put his hands in his pockets as he looked down at the boy.

"My village is being attacked by Grimm! You have to help!" His brown eyes glistened with tears as he looked in a panic from the group before him to the village behind him, hidden by the hills.

"I mean… do we really?" Mercury turned to Ruby, glancing at Yang who shot him a very disapproving glare. "We've been avoiding villages this entire time for a reason, we've got enough to worry about, wasting our ammo on this doesn't seem like the best use of our resources or time."

"You're not wrong but still, if we help them it would give us a safe place to rest for the night." Ruby felt it again, it was subtle, much less than usual, but she could feel that electric tingling radiating from her scar as she spoke.

"Is this really a debate? People are dying, we have to help." Yang stepped forward, walking between Ruby and Mercury, pushing him aside with her shoulder as she made her way to the child, placing her hand on his shoulder and smiling warmly. "Don't worry kid, we'll help you."

"Well, we have to go this way anyway unless we want to cut through the forest again." Mercury was less than thrilled but Ruby wasn't paying attention, instead, she smiled at Yang, thankful for the connection she had to a better life before losing her memory, a connection to a better Ruby.

"Alright Team MYRN! Let's move out!" Ruby shot her first in the air before pointing towards the direction the boy came from. At her declaration, her team snapped into combat mode, Yang's gauntlets extending, Neo holding her umbrella over her shoulder with her trademark smug grin while Mercury's boots clicked, sending a round into place ready to be fired. As she stared forward with her team at her back Ruby pulled out her giant double bladed scythe; Soul Eclipsor. They were ready for a fight.

* * *

The village was in chaos, besieged by a sizable horde of Grimm. The sound of screaming filled the town as buildings were ravaged and villagers fled for their lives. Ruby and her team stood atop a hill overlooking the village, watching the carnage unfold.

"Mercury, Neo, you two protect the villagers! Yang, help me push the Grimm back, we're not letting them get any more ground!" Without hesitation Ruby jumped into the fray, vanishing in a blur of rose petals as she rushed towards the town, leaving her team with their orders.

"Stay here kid, we'll handle this." Mercury roughly rubbed the boy's head before following his girlfriend into battle with Neo and Yang following close behind.

The small town was quickly being overrun by Grimm. Beowolves filled the streets, chasing stray villagers while Ursa took up the rear, using their great strength to destroy the buildings, sending the hiding residents scattering into the streets to be picked off by the faster Beowolves. It was only minutes away from being a bloodbath, a massacre. As Neo and Mercury came to a stop midway through the town, setting up a defensive line to give the villagers a safe zone, Yang ran ahead to join Ruby in taking the offensive.

Mercury watched as villagers ran away from the encroaching Grimm, running right past him and Neo. Firmly he put one foot in front of the other as the Grimm followed their terrified pray. Then, the instant one drew too close he delivered a powerful, swinging kick, the back of his heel smashing into the Grimm's jaw with enough force to blow apart its face before letting loose a blast from the sole of his boot, blowing its head clean off and killing it.

Beside him Neo took the initiative, running forward towards an Ursa that was looming over a middleaged woman, its claws reared back and ready to tear into her flesh. However, Neo was faster, appearing immediately between the woman and the beast, catching its claw with her umbrella with great ease, smirking up at it before delivering a powerful kick to the large monster's belly, sending it staggering back. It stood tall on its hind legs, taking a threatening pose as it roared at the petite woman, but Neo was completely nonplussed and with a movement that was so fast it appeared little more than a blur, she unsheathed her blade and slashed it across its belly!

As Neo battled the monster the woman ran away, sprinting behind Mercury's defensive line as he kept the other Grimm at bay, launching a barrage of blasts from his boot, killing anything that got too close. In front of him Neo deftly avoided the Ursa's claw, flipping onto it, supporting her weight with one hand while while it raised its paw up high enough for her to get a clear shot at its neck. Even while upside down she was able to decapitate it with a single stroke of her blade, effortlessly falling into a backflip and landing on her feet before running towards the next one.

Up in front Ruby wasted no time. The instant she zoomed off she let her scythe split in two, one flying behind her, tethered to its other half by a strong chain. In a single move she blurred through a small pack of Beowolves, cutting them all in two as she raced by, one blade facing each side so she didn't miss any, killing half a dozen as she bolted to the front of the town where the Grimm were pouring over the hill.

Ruby stood stoic, her silver eyes cold as she stared down the encroaching horde, one foot resting atop the curve of her blade, keeping it upright with her weight while she held the other scythe over her shoulder, the chain between them hanging in front of her. With a soft breath time seemed to slow, her blades burst into flames, her aura protecting her as the fire licked at her from below, bathing her in a hot orange glow.

 _ **Whooosh!**_

A ring of steel and fire expanded out with a flurry of smoldering rose petals, the sheer force sending a gale of hot wind outwards in all directions. As her burning blades cut through the multitude of monsters, their dying screams filled the air, their bodies consumed in fire before being cut to pieces by the whirling blades. As the fire died down Ruby hung in the air above, her chains surrounding her as she held one scythe between her legs and the other in hand, the shaft resting on her shoulder as the curved blade pointed towards the ground. Her team watched in awe as she fought, Yang could feel the intense heat radiating from the flames that didn't seem to faze her sister in the slightest.

Still, more and more Grimm poured down the hillside. Yang lashed out with a flurry of punches, keeping as many as she could from getting past her. Ruby however, wasn't finished yet! Once more she activated her Semblance, this time, aiming straight at the ground, slamming into the earth, the sheer force of her impact rattled the town and intense fireball the gushed out from her landing mushroomed up, as tall as the buildings, blowing away the Grimm and shattering half the windows in the village.

Her aura was nearly gone, she could feel the intense strain of her attacks on her body, but that pain that spiked through her head, that screamed at her, compelled her to fight. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up, ready for anything to come, but as she stared out to the hill… nothing more came. Behind her she could hear her team fighting, overwhelming the Grimm that remained, quickly dispatching them. By the time she turned around, Neo and Yang were already killing the last Beowolf. The fight was over, and they had won.

"Ruby!" Yang fired a shot of her gauntlet into the Grimm's head, killing before turning away from Neo and running towards her with her partner in toe and Mercury walking casually up to them, relieved that the fight was over and actually glad that no one had died.

"Hey Yang… that was fun huh?" Ruby laughed between heavy breaths as she snuffed out the flames around her weapon. Her body was shaking and her everything was sore and tired, but it didn't matter, as long as her team was safe.

"Well that's one word for it, you seriously kicked ass out there Sis. That was pretty awesome!" Yang prodded her sister with her elbow.

"Heh-heh, I don't know about that, I was just doing what I had to." Ruby grinned bashfully, rubbing the back of her head as the rest of her team caught up with them.

"You sure you're okay? Looks like you really wore yourself out. You didn't need to go all out on this one, you know that puts a lot of strain on you." Mercury was very bad at concealing his worry, his eyes wandering over Ruby, seeing the scraps and bruises that made it through her aura, all of which were from her own attacks.

"I'm fine, I promise. I'm just a little tired and I'm still getting used to this weapon. It'll get easier, the important thing is that you're all okay and the village is safe." The young leader swallowed, steeling herself against her pain and exhaustion as she forced herself to stand strong and steady, her Soul Eclipsor folding up before she put it to her back.

"You saved us!" A man spoke from behind them. The team turned around to face the source of the voice. It was an older man, more well dressed than the rest of the villagers. "You've done us a great service, please, you must stay and join the celebration with us!"

"Celebrate?" Yang raised an eyebrow dubiously at him as she looked around the village. "You just got attacked by Grimm, is this really the time for a party?"

"We're a settlement outside the Kingdoms, yet we've been around for quite a while. The Grimm are attracted to negativity, so whenever we survive a Grimm attack, we throw a party to ward off the beasts with positive energy. Oh you must stay! There will be a feast, games, entertainment, even a dance!" The older man who they assumed was the mayor of the town smiled expectantly at them.

"Did you say a dance?" Ruby gulped, however, this time out of fear.

"Indeed I did!" He grinned.

"Oh, well, you know, we're very busy and have somewhere to be so gee, it's too bad but I guess we can't stay for the-"

"We'd love to!" Yang interjected, accepting the invitation with a bright smile.

"Actually, it sounds like fun and we could use some downtime." Mercury agreed, not missing the chance to tease his girlfriend who was obviously uncomfortable. Beside him Neo gave a very firm nod, smirking as she put her arm around Ruby's shoulders.

"A dance… that's just great." Ruby sighed in resignation. _I guess we're doing this._


	57. The Settlement: Part 2

"Come on Ruby we're all waiting on you." Yang sigh impatiently from outside the door, her cool metal hand resting on her forehead. Their team had settled into the village they had saved earlier that day. The strange settlement outside the kingdom had a tradition of throwing parties to ward off Grimm attacks with positive emotions and they were the guests of honor. Some of them however, we more excited than others on their team.

"Is it too late to just get back on the road to Mistral and forget about this whole dance thing?" Ruby's voice spoke up hopefully from inside the small cabin they were staying in. It wasn't much, cramped for a team of four, but it was theirs for as long as they wanted it.

"I never knew she was this introverted. I mean, I knew she wasn't the most socially comfortable person but this is a side to her I haven't seen." Mercury mused out loud to himself, his gaze turned upwards to the dimming sky above them.

"Yeah, she's always been like this. I've try to get her to dance before, just live a little outside of fighting but she'd rather geek out about weapons than go to a party." Mercury could practically feel the resignation on Yang's voice as her arms fell defeatedly to her sides. "I love her but she can be a handful sometimes."

"I think it's kinda cute." Mercury smiled, putting his hands hands in the pockets of his black dress pants he was given by someone in the village. They were all given nice clothes to wear to the party. Mercury was given a tux that was just his size with a black vest and a silver tie. Yang was given a knee length white dress with yellow flickering up from the bottom hem like fire. Neo wore a two tiered gown the flowed down to her ankles it was white with pink and yellow butterflies floating up it from the frilled hem to the thin straps on her shoulders with a "v" shape cut to her chest. They were all dressed and ready to go… except for their leader who was taking her sweet time.

"I- I can hear you you know…" They could practically hear her blushing. "Could I maybe get some help, I can't reach the zipper and I think I'm supposed to tie this part? Gah! Soul Eclipsor is less complicated than this stupid dress!"

"So, rock paper scissors or…"

"Don't even think about it!" Yang growled, shooting a warning glare at Mercury, her hands on her hips and for a moment, her eyes burned crimson causing her little sister's boyfriend to quickly retract.

"Calm down, it was just a joke. Geez, I mean, not that I wouldn't-" Mercury was stopped before he dug himself into an even deeper hole by a glimpse of straightened pink and brown hair as Neo walked up to the door, opening it just slightly so she could squeeze through without revealing the half dressed leader to her entire team.

Yang and Mercury stared as the door closed behind Neo. Inside they could hear the shuffling of their mute teammate fighting with Ruby as they struggled to overcome the dress. A soft, barely audible sigh escaped Yang's lips as a strange feeling trickled up in her chest, one that was equal parts happy and sad. _We've been traveling together for a while now, the four of us. I never expected my life to go this way, me, a fugitive traveling with wanted terrorists who brought down Beacon. Still, I can see what Ruby sees in them, just a little. Everything that was black and white is just a bunch of shades of gray, people that I wanted to kill for taking Ruby from me are now the people I trust enough to put my life in their hands in a fight. I never saw any of this coming, I bet they didn't either. Ruby has a way of surrounding herself with the people she needs… good people. Even after all they've done, I can't really think of Mercury and Neo as bad people._

"Ouch! Neo be careful with that zipper! You pinched my back." Ruby whined as Neo fought with her to force her into the dress. Yang was ripped from her thoughts by the clatter that arose from inside and that sadness in her heart retreated as a smile forced its way onto her lips.

"Oh, so that's how you do it! Ouch, a little too tight. Okay, I think you just need to do that part and- oh, you've already got it. Um… do I have to put the heels on? Okay okay! Geez, you don't need to give me that look. I don't see why I couldn't wear my combat boots with this. Can I at least leave my earrings in? What about my hat?"

"Poor Neo." A barely stifled giggle escaped Yang as she got a laugh at her teammate's expense.

"Yeah, I barely envy her." Mercury grinned, now intentionally trying to provoke Yang. However, she didn't seem to notice as she stared smiling wistfully at the door.

"Okay… I'm coming out…" Ruby gulped nervously as she turned the door knob. After a brief pause, the door creaked open and their leader stepped out with a light blush on her cheeks. "H-how do I look?"

Yang and Mercury stared awestruck at the young leader while Neo stood smiling proudly at her side. She looked beautiful, wearing a ruby red halter style dress with a black frilled hem just above her knees. Her back was exposed all the way down to her lower back where the dress was zipped up. The whole dress was held up by her neck, the soft, bright red fabric tied into a perfect bow behind her neck. At her feet were gorgeous black high heels that she wobbled on as she awkwardly stepped forward and her whole outfit was accessorized by her ruby earrings hanging from thin gold chains and atop her head was her black hat with the red band around it, a rose glued to its side where a feather once was. It was Roman Torchwick's hat, and her most prized possession.

"Aaaaw! You look so cute little sis!" Yang squealed in delight as she ran over to her sister, throwing her arms around her in a suffocatingly tight hug.

"You sure clean up nicely." Mercury gave a halfhearted huff of laughter as he walked over to them, Yang stepping aside, smiling at Mercury, knowing full well how happy he made his sister, even if he drove her crazy sometimes, their mutual caring for Ruby was enough for her to put aside their differences.

"T-thanks." Ruby's blush deepened as she looked up at him her shining silver eyes meeting his dull gray, his smile so unusually soft that she didn't know how to respond.

"You look beautiful." Everything around them seemed to melt away for Ruby as she felt his hands tenderly grip her hips as he stepped closer, not breaking eye contact for even a moment and his smile never wavering as he brought one hand up, gently raising her head up with his fingers below her chin. His arm wrapped around her lower back, holding her close as they looked deep into each other's eyes while he lower his head. Ruby's chest was consumed in a blissful inferno, the intense head made her head feel fuzzy as her eyes futtered shut, waiting with baited breath for the sensation his lips on her own, her heels putting her close enough to his height that she didn't need to stand on her toes.

"That's enough!" Yang blurted out, shouldering Mercury aside, nearly toppling him as she shoved him away, Ruby opening her eyes, confused for a moment until she saw her boyfriend recovering from nearly being toppled and her sister breathing a heavy sigh of relief.

"Yang." Ruby giggled, shaking her head slightly at her teammate's antics. She expected things to be awkward traveling with her boyfriend, her sister, and her adoptive sister but mostly everything was okay. _But I guess kissing like that right in front of her is a bit too much for Yang._

"What the hell Yang?! You know I'm borrowing this suit right?" Mercury huffed in annoyance as he straightened out the wrinkles in the suit as best he could. Looking Yang direct and defiantly in the eyes he grabbed Ruby by her waist, pulling her to his side, eliciting another blush from the smaller girl as she rested against him.

"Don't worry, I'm sure there's a dress for you to wear." The irritation in her voice and the anger in her eyes conflicted with the amiable smile on her lips as she gabbed Ruby by her arm, pulling her away from Merc, only making him hold on tighter to his girl. Poor Ruby was caught in the middle, sighing in resignation.

 **Click!**

All three looked up to the direction of the sound, finding themselves staring up at a smirking Neo holding her Scroll out, her eyes looking at the screen, admiring the picture she had just taken of her team. Mercury, Yang and Ruby looked to each other before looking back to their impromptu photographer, imagining just what the picture of the three of them must have looked like in that moment.

"Hey!" Ruby smile brightly, her gaze now fixed slightly behind her adoptive sister. "Neo, come take a picture with us!"

For a moment, Neo looked at her leader quizzically before turning to follow her gaze. Behind her was a stack of crates resting against the wall of a nearby building. A bright smile shined on Neo's face as she looked back to her team and then down to her Scroll, messing with the camera's settings, readying the timer. With a bounce in her step she skipped over to the crates, placing her Scroll on top of them, making slight but precise adjustments to the position, making certain their picture would be perfect. With one last final check Neo took a step back, pressing the button in the middle and starting the countdown before running over to her team.

The team of four got into their places. Mercury stood up straight and relaxed, his normal cocksure smirk on his lips and Ruby still comfortably resting at his side. His arm wrapped around her from behind with his hand resting on her hip. Ruby wore a soft, content smile as she held his hand. On her other side, Yang grinned brightly, her shoulder pressed against Ruby, her expression turning to one of surprise as Neo stepped in front of her, leaning back against the taller, more muscular girl. As the surprise wore off, Yang found herself smiling softly at the shorter woman leaning against her. With a mischievous grin Yang folded her arms and placed them on top of Neo's head, leaning forward slightly so her weight was resting on the diminutive woman, though Neo didn't seem phased at all.

"Say wanted!" Ruby giggled, knowing her team would also get a kick out of her making light of their very dangerous situation.

"Wanted!"

 **Click!**

"I wanna see!" Before anyone could take even a single step Ruby blitzed forward, propelled by her Semblance, leaving a cloud of rose petals in her wake. However, she forgot that she was wearing heels and nearly fell flat on her face, only managing to catch herself on the crates around Neo's scroll.

"Careful." Mercury chuckled as he and the rest of her team followed along behind her. "It would really suck if you ended up breaking your neck from that after everything you've survived."

"Heh-heh, I'm fine." Ruby shakily stood up, nearly toppling over once again on her heels while Neo strode right by, grabbing the Scroll while helping steady Ruby by her shoulder.

They all crowded around Neo as she flipped her Scroll lengthwise, displaying the picture they had taken together. They all looked… happy. All four of them were smiling and comfortable, none of them alone. Mercury holding Ruby, Yang against Ruby's shoulder, Neo against Yang's chest. On paper, they were a misfit team at best, but looking at this photo, they all couldn't help but feel everything looked just right.

"We actually look like a real team." Yang said with a soft laugh, her eyes stuck on the content smile her sister wore in her picture as she cuddled up close to Mercury in the picture and remembering how she felt Ruby press back against her shoulder when they were posing, letting Yang know that she was happy to have Yang by her side. _We look like a team… and maybe, something more._

"We are a real team." Ruby was positively beaming. Ever since her memories came back, she didn't feel like she belonged, it was what she was searching for, the whole reason they were on this insane mission. _But now, I feel like I belong._

"Come on, let's get this over with." At Ruby's resigned shrug, the team set off towards the large building with music pouring out of it, filling into the ballroom along with the other town's people.

* * *

"Okay… there's a lot more people here than I expected." Ruby gulped fretfully as she looked at the expansive ballroom. It wasn't anything lavish, but it could fit a lot of people, and indeed it did. People danced as the music played, food and drinks liked the wall, refreshments and stands and games, it was quite a party for the small village.

"Yeah! This is a party!" Yang looked far more enthused than her little sister, while Mercury looked coolly indifferent and Neo more reserved but still smiling.

"W-well, I think I'll just go out and hang out with the punch bowl." Ruby was already making a tactical retreat before she could be roped into anything as embarrassing as dancing.

"Oh no you don't." Mercury spun on a heel, grabbing Ruby by her hand. "You've been working yourself way too hard lately. I'm wearing this suit and we're here, you look beautiful, so we're gonna dance."

"B-but… I don't know how." Ruby muttered shyly, her gaze fixed on the floor. However, her fears were scorched away as she felt Mercury take her hand in his while he put his other hand behind her lower back. She looked up to him, his smile as gentle and reassuring as hs touch.

"Don't worry about it, just follow my lead, it's easier than fighting for our lives, I promise." Their fingers entwined and before Ruby even knew what was happening, Mercury hand already begun stepping in sync with the slow music, the two of them moving into the dance floor. An embarrassed blush began to fade from her cheeks as she relaxed her body, doing as he said and following along with him, letting him set the pace.

"You're good at this…" Ruby muttered softly, her chest and head filled with a happy warmth, his strong but gentle touch sending a jubilant electricity through her pale skin as she followed him through the dance floor that seemed to be vacant of all but the two of them.

"Yeah well, it's one of the only three things my old man ever taught me…" Now it was his turn to sound embarrassed, but even so he didn't miss a beat, never faltered in his effortless waltz.

"What were the other two?" She asked curiously, still smiling uncontrollably in his arms, even her own steps were more sure, less wobbly despite her uncomfortable heels.

"How to fight and how to tie a tie." Mercury laughed at the irony of it. As he held the smaller girl, guiding her through the dance, keeping her close and steady, he couldn't help but feel for that moment, that he liked this a whole lot more than fighting.

"Well I have no idea what I'm doing so… I'm in your hands." She let her eyes close, focusing her senses on everything she couldn't see; the warmth and roughness of his skin, the sound of his breathing, the scent of his cologne, their movement through the dance floor and the beautiful music that played in the background to all of it.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you." He held her just a little bit tighter, his heart tight with happiness and bliss. This was nothing like the dance at Beacon, that was just part of his mission with Cinder, and he didn't have these feelings for Emerald of his boss. This wasn't some ruse, it was real and it was powerful.

Still standing near the door, Yang watched her little sister dance so comfortably with her boyfriend. Yang folded her arms over her chest, the cold metal of her advanced prosthetic cooling her soft skin on her still living arm. They looked so happy, both Ruby and Mercury, and though she felt the strangest pang of loss in her heart, she could only smile with pride and love as Ruby danced with him, safe and content, free from her insecurities. _He's good for her… I'm happy for you Ruby._

A sudden nudge against her side stole her attention away from her sister. As she turned to face the source of the touch, Yang as more than taken aback. Before her stood Neo, her head lowered and one arm over her chest while her other arm was extended out, her hand held up in offering to her teammate.

"Neo… are you asking me to dance?" Yang's soft lilac eyes were wide and her heart began racing in her chest. Neo's head rose up as she smirked with her trademark smugness, standing up normally, letting her other hand fall to her side but keeping her right hand still out for Yang. After a few long moments, Neo's grin wore Yang down and a playful smile formed from her lips.

"I'll try not to step on you." Yang quipped as she tenderly took Neo's small hand in her own. It was warm and soft, unlike Yang's rough a calloused hand. At her remark Neo placed one hand on her hip and leaned forward, her eyes staring into Yang's as she smirked before she spun around and pulled Yang to the dance floor. The night was young and the team was going to make the most of it.


	58. The Settlement: Part 3

"I think the song is ending…" She didn't want to and the soft disappointment in her words betrayed her feelings as she looked around the dance floor. Couples were separating and the music began to soften out as it reached its finale.

"Bummer because this is the only dance I know." Her partner shrugged with a halfhearted chuckle as his steps slowly and their fluid movements came to an easy, gentle stop, Mercury still holding onto her hand and lower back, their eyes locked onto each other as the music ceased.

"You're good at it… I had fun." The faintest blush returned to her cheeks brightened by a softly smile as she tenderly held his hand in hers, their fingers entwined in a firm embrace. She was sweaty, her feet were killing her, she had nearly fallen over in her ridiculous heels three times as they danced but none of that mattered to her, she really did have a good time and she wanted it to last just a little bit longer.

"Yeah, me too." With a resigned sigh he pulled his hand from her back, resting it in his pocket while he pulled his hand from hers, the night air cooling the sweat that had accumulated between them, replacing the warmth of her soft touch. A new song began to play, a more modern and energetic song, one that neither were comfortable dancing to. For a moment, he thought about doing something to get that first song back but he thought better of it, they didn't need to draw anymore attention to themselves than they already had.

"Um, it looks like people are starting to get into this song, wanna head back and sit by the punch bowl and watch awkwardly?" From the moment they parted she could feel herself getting more uncomfortable by the moment, especially with the prospect of being roped into a dance that even Mercury wasn't up for. She looked up at him with a bashful and hopeful grin while Mercury just stared down blankly at her, one hand at his side and the other in his pocket as he waited, letting the moments draw out feeling pretty amused with how nervous she was getting.

"Alright, we'll leave this one to those two." He jerked his head in the direction of their other teammates, Yang and Neo looking enthralled with the music and seemingly each other.

"Sounds like a plan." Ruby giggled, giving another glance over to her sister and adoptive sister. The two women had been a big influence on her and she loved and cared deeply for them both and it made her happy to see them looking so happy and relaxed, especially with everything that had happened since the Vytal festival and the tournament.

"Come on, we're just getting in the way here." With a cool grin he extended his hand, the one she had been holding as they danced, the sensation of her touch still lingering on his skin like a fresh memory in his nerves.

"Right!" With a thankful and beaming smile she reached out, their held hands falling comfortably between them in each other's gentle grasp as they walked off the dance floor together, maneuvering around the other partygoers as they tried to make their way through the throngs.

 _This is pretty weird isn't it?_ It's a question she'd thought to herself time and time again since getting her memories back. _A year ago I was just a kid who wanted to be a Huntress and save the world like in the stories Yang used to read to me. I was happy and I didn't have anything to feel guilty of. Then, I met Roman and my whole life changed. I became a different person but not a different person at the same time. I agreed to do things that, if I had my memory, I wouldn't have done. Before long I felt so comfortable around Roman and Neo that I considered them family, so much so that I hurt people, stole and even killed for them. I met Emerald, Cinder and Mercury, I infiltrated Beacon just to save Roman. So much has happened in such a short time and now that I have my memories back I really don't know who I am or what I want. Part of me… just wants to walk away from both lives, just stay close to the people I care about and leave whatever Cinder is planning alone._

"You okay? You're lookin kinda out of it." A concerned tone and a soft pressure around her hand from Mercury shook her from her thoughts.

"I'm alright, just thinking about everything that's happened… it's a little overwhelming still." A bittersweet smile pulled at her lips as she looked down at the floor, carefully calculating each step so she wouldn't fall over and look like an idiot in front of everyone that was there. Everything that happened when she lost her memories, everything she had done, it all felt so distant… _It's like there's a part of me that just can't accept what I've done._

"Eh, it's in the past." He shrugged indifferently, but his cool eyes were softened with compassion as he looked down at her. "The only thing looking back does is stop you from seeing what's in front of you."

"Wow Mercury! That's pretty cool, when did you get so poetic?" Ruby smirked up at him, trying to take his advice regardless.

"I think I saw it in a fortune cookie or something?" He hummed, feigning deep thought at trying to recall where he had heard it.

"Of course." Ruby snorted a laugh, letting herself fall ever so slightly to the side, hitting his side with her meager weight before regaining her balance. _Still, he's not wrong. I've done a lot of bad but this feels good, the four of us… maybe I don't have to regret anything, it won't undo the damage anyway._

"So," Mercury began as they reached the chairs lining the wall, helping ease his girlfriend down so she didn't fall flat on her face. "I guess we should talk about what the plan is after we leave here."

"You really want to talk work now?" Ruby frowned as she leaned back, Mercury sitting beside her, their hands still held between them. "It's a party and Neo and Yang are having fun, we can talk about the plan in the morning."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense…" He trailed off, awkwardly looking around the room. "Well then, what do you want to talk about?"

"Hmmm… I don't really care as long as it's not about something that Yang and Neo need to be here for." She smiled softly, scooching up beside him before resting herself against his side. "Are you having fun?"

"Dances aren't usually my thing but yeah, I'm having fun." Back at Beacon he used getting information out of Yang as an excuse to ditch the dance for a while but he wasn't in any rush to leave this time.

"Same, they're not usually my thing either but this is fun." She swayed her feet back and forth over the wooden floor.

"Things have been going pretty well for us lately, I mean, ever since we left Patch things have just been getting better. Yang and I are on good terms again, you and I are… um, you know… a thing." She could feel blood rushing to her cheeks but even so, she just rested even more comfortably against him, an awkward but endearing grin on her face. "You helped Yang work through what happened to her and Neo and Yang are really getting along. Things are good…"

"Why do I get the feeling you're worrying again?" It was obvious in the way her tone softened as it trailed off, he couldn't really blame her, things hadn't been great for her since she lost her memory. "Look, we couldn't handle seeing action all the time. If you ask me we deserve a little downtime."

"Yeah, you're right… I just wish it would last." It wouldn't, they all knew that. Cinder and her people were probably out for Ruby's blood, Huntsman and Huntresses were looking for them after their part in the Fall of Beacon, law enforcement, Yang's old team… it felt like they were only inches from the fire all the time.

"Hey, wait here a sec." Without another word Mercury leaned back against Ruby, making her sit up straight before he got out of his seat, leaving his partner sitting alone as he went towards the refreshments.

"That was weird… I guess?" With a shrug and a sigh she fell back in her seat, her eyes scanning the dance floor, her gaze falling onto her remaining two teammates. They were having fun together, dancing, laughing and smiling, it made Ruby happy to see the once deep animosity between them now gone. They weren't competing to have their sister back in their lives, instead, they were partners, brought together by a person they both deeply cared for. _I guess all they needed was a fresh start and common ground._

 _I know he's trying to make me not worry so much but with everything against us like it is, with me dragging the only three people in the world that I can trust into this with me, especially Yang, I have to be on edge, I can't let anything happen to my team. We've lost a lot but I feel like as long as we stay together and watch each other's backs, everything will be okay._ She couldn't shake a the small feeling of guilt that sat in her heart from bringing Yang into their team. _I wanted her by my side, after I got my memory back, she's the one person I didn't want to lose. Still, she's not like me or Mercury or Neo, she's a good person and she's never killed anyone. I can't be sure that won't change if she follows us down this path._

"Here." Mercury's voice snapped her to attention, ripping her from her depressing spiraling thoughts.

"What's this?" Ruby's eyes drifted down to his outstretched hand in which he held a small glass filled nearly to the brim a clear liquid.

"It's tequila, figured it might help you unwind." He looked away bashfully, trying to keep his face stoic despite his awkwardness but Ruby could tell… _He's just trying to make me feel better however he can. He's sweet._

"Um… I'm not old enough though." She knew that was a flimsy point, sure drinking might be illegal for her but murder, terrorism and the destruction of one of the four most powerful institutions in Remnant were kinda a bigger deal.

"We're on the run from Huntsmen, the police, Yang's old friends, my old boss, all while trying to get in front of whatever Cinder has planned next. We're on the fast track to a short life, might as well enjoy ourselves." With a grin he pushed the glass a little closer to her and held up his other hand, showing he got one for himself so at least she wouldn't be drinking alone.

"Well… I guess you have a point." With a tepid smile she carefully took the tiny glass in her fingers, staring nervously at its contents before bringing it up to her nose. ' _It smells terrible! Is it really okay to drink?_

"Hey, are you trying to corrupt my sister?" Yang's teasing voice chimed in as she and Neo left the dance floor, joining them by the chairs, Neo on one side and Yang on another while Mercury stood up straighter with a dismissive huff of laughter.

"Right, I'm the one corrupting her." Mercury rolled his eyes as he shook his head, unable to help but grin right.

"Yang I um… I was getting kinda bummed out and he was just trying to help so he got me this and-"

"It's fine, I'll let you try it." She was smirking playfully but everyone else was taken more than a little aback, none more so than Neo who shot her an indignant glare after the shock wore off.

"Seriously?" Mercury balked, his eyebrows raised as he rested his hand in his pocket, looking down at his own shot glass wondering just how many Yang must have had already to not have thrown him out the nearest window.

"Why not? It's not like the law really matters to us anymore and it's not like we get a lot of time to relax. So it's fine with me, besides, getting to see my baby sister try her first shot of… wait, what'd you give her?"

"Tequila." He had been worried about Ruby's sisters finding out but Yang was way more on board than he thought she'd be.

"Oooh this is gonna be fun, I've gotta watch this. Hold on, let me get me and Neo a drink too!" As she spun on her heel and made a beeline for the bar, her enthusiasm suddenly made a lot more sense to him. _She just wants to see Ruby make a fool of herself. Probably to use it as a lesson why she shouldn't drink again or something. Well that just leaves…_

He turned his attention over to the petite woman by his side… yep, she was still glaring at him, her arms folded over her chest and her eyes peircing like daggers. He could just feel her spite and annoyance at letting her adorable little sister get drunk, he couldn't be sure whether she was more mad at him for starting it or at Yang for enabling it. Under the pressure of her glare he flattered, looking away back down to Ruby who was staring down at her glass, shrinking back in her seat while her eyes darted between her three teammates.

"I mean… if Yang thinks it's okay…" Ruby gulped nervously, looking up to Neo, trying to reign in her adoptive sister's anger at her boyfriend. She had to admit, she was curious, she knew it probably wasn't going to taste very good but Yang drank alcohol and she was someone Ruby looked up to, same with her uncle Qrow, though she didn't want to drink anywhere near as much as him.

"Alright! I'm back!" Yang came to a stop across from Neo and beside Merc and Ruby with an excited grin before holding up a glass to her silent partner.

"Here, it's Ruby's first drink so we should all drink with her, don't worry, if you're a lightweight I wouldn't mind carrying you back." Yang winked playfully at Neo and in an extremely rare instance, Ruby saw her adoptive sister get flustered, a blush tinting her cheeks before she gave a resigned breath, taking the glass from Yang with a soft but warm smile.

"So should we… I dunno, make a toast or something?" Ruby asked awkwardly, looking around to her teammates, feeling a little less apprehensive about drinking now that they would all be doing it with her but still not entirely excited either.

"Sure, why not. What to?" Mercury took his usual indifferent position, looking to Yang and Neo to sort it out.

"Um… maybe we could toast to belonging." She could bare to look at them as her face grew hot with embarrassment but even so a content and fond smile graced her lips as she gently swirled her drink in her glass. _After all, that's what makes me happy… I feel like I belong with them. Not out of place. I have too much blood on my hands to be a hero, too much light to be a villain again, but with my team, none of that matters. I'm at home with people I love._

"I could toast to that." Mercury agreed warmly and reassuringly, sensing his girlfriend's embarrassment and receiving an immediately looking of happiness and gratitude from those big, dazzling silver eyes.

"Same here!" Yang cheered jubilantly with Neo giving in to their energy, nodding her approval to Ruby with a small smirk, raising her glass up to join the rest of them.

"Just pound it back fast, it's gonna burn." Yang was having way too much fun with this, the glee and amusement in her voice, Mercury almost felt bad for Ruby… almost.

"R-right…" An anxious laugh escaped her as she stared down at her drink. 'Maybe this wasn't the best idea…'

"Well, to belonging." She shrugged it off, she knew they'd have a lot of battles ahead and this was making all of them smile. _Take one for the team I guess._

"Cheers!"

 **Clink!**

Their glasses dinged off each other and the set to their drinks, Ruby following Yang's advice, hesitating the glass on her lips before steeling herself and tilting her head back. Instantly as she chugged it down in one gulp she felt like she had swallowed Fire Dust as her throat was seared by an intense heat, nearly making her spit it all out. She grimaced as tears welled up in her eyes as she forced herself to swallow before falling into a coughing fit.

"Th-that was terrible! Why would anyone drink that!?" She cried out indignantly while her team just laughed at her expense. However, as she felt the drink fall into her stomach, a very warm and pleasant sensation filled her chest and belly, making her tingle and smile at the heat. _Okay, that doesn't feel so bad._

"Just wait till it kicks in." Mercury drank his like it was nothing… and so did Yang… and Neo, all to Ruby's annoyance.

"I'm gonna stick around, I wanna see how she gets." Yang sat herself beside her sister, staring intently at her with a devious grin, one seat down Neo took her seat at Yang's side, crossing her legs as she leaned back, fidgeting with her glass in her fingers.

"You're scaring me, what's supposed to happen? When's it supposed it happen? What's it gonna feel like?!" She was panicking a little, she could still feel that pleasant heat spreading through her chest, she couldn't deny it felt nice. _No one else seems worried, I guess I should just relax and wait._

"You'll see." Her boyfriend chuckled, sitting comfortably by her unoccupied side, setting his drink down on the empty chair beside him. There they all were, his team with their leader in the middle.

"So… I guess we should decide what we're going to do since we're all here now." Ruby looked around to her friends, she didn't want to talk about their mission when they were supposed to be having fun but she needed something to keep her mind busy.

"The plan is to head to Mistral right?" Yang leaned forward, giving her little sister a break.

"Yeah but then what?" It had been bothering Mercury but their plan wasn't exactly solid or even well thought out. He didn't mind going along with his girlfriend's whims but it'd be nice if they had something better than a point on a map.

"Well, we're going to dig up whatever we can on Cinder right? I mean, it's a safe bet that Beacon wasn't their only target." She was starting to see the problem or rather, she wanted to ignore the problem. _Join back with the bad guys and help them destroy the world or whatever they're doing or fight them and either run from the law forever or turn ourselves in. I haven't really done much so I wouldn't get that much time but Ruby, Mercury and Emerald? They'd probably be put away for life. I can't let that happen._

"Which side do we fight for?" Ruby spoke up between them, looking solemnly into her glass, her eyes dulled and her voice soft.

"I don't know about you three but I'm sick of fighting the sides that are gonna get us killed. That goes for Cinder and the Kingdoms. The only side I care about is ours." He had felt it ever since she brought Ruby home, no… ever since the moment Emerald told him to take Ruby and run. He was his own person, not just a weapon for Cinder and he didn't have to take anyone else's' crap.

"And what exactly is our side?" Even Yang was starting to sound depressed as her gaze turned towards the ceiling. By her side Neo looked worriedly between her friends, none of them looked happy and she could just feel their mood plummeting. She couldn't help but hope the alcohol would kick in soon.

"The side that watches each other's back, doesn't go to jail and doesn't die." At least he could be certain about his priorities.

"Easier said than done. I mean, what do we do then? Just call it quits and ignore everything that happened at Beacon? Work as mercenaries or whatever while Cinder burns the world and we're constantly hunted by the authorities?" Anger and hopelessness at once burned and froze Yang's heart. She knew what going along with her sister meant, she knew what she was giving up… any chance at a normal life. _I still want to be here, I can't abandon my team and I definitely won't leave my sister to the wolves but what is our future now?_

"I actually don't hate the sound of that. Fuck this whole thing and let's just live how we want, we don't need to pick a side in this fight." He felt he was being pragmatic but he knew things weren't that simple.

"Hate to burst your bubble Merc but both sides have already picked a fight with us. You said it yourself, Ruby messed Cinder up and she's coming for us, you three also helped bring down Beacon so the Kingdoms and Huntsmen are coming for us, Thistle, Jaune, Weiss, Blake, Nora, Ren, they're all gonna come after us! We don't have a choice but to get involved!" Her eyes were scorched crimson as she huffed in anger, impotent rage at the hopelessness she felt. _Damn it! Why did this have to happen! Why couldn't things have just happened like that were supposed to?! Ruby was happy and she was good, she wanted to make the world a better place and then… and then she met Roman! Damn it! What can I do now?! How am I supposed to protect her against threats from all sides!? I'm not… I'm not strong enough… damn it…_

Yang eyes shot open, her vision blurred with tears as she felt a gentle, warm touch envelop her hand, holding it tightly and reassuringly. By her side she found big, expressive pink and brown eyes looking up at her with compassion and worry, her hand held in Neo's, her slender fingers resting over her own while her thumb gently stroked the side of her palm as the petite woman slowly brought herself to rest against Yang's firm, muscular shoulder.

"Neo…" The pain and confusion was pushed aside as she felt the the soft, warm touch of Neo's thumb brushing against hand, her straightened strands of pink, brown and white hair tickling her arm.

"Everything'll be okay Yang, we'll stay together and… keep each other shafe." All eyes turned to Ruby as she leaned against Yang's metal arm with a relaxed smile, her words beginning to slur and. "I feel fuzzy…"

"Wow, that was fast." Yang blinked in surprise but as Ruby hummed contentedly, her eyes fluttering closed, she couldn't help but find it funny.

"You- you know I'll protect you all… don't you? I can keep you safe… I know I will cuzsh I'm not gonna let bad happen. Hee-heh… this is kinda nice." Ruby wobbled as she sat herself up from Yang's side, giggling softly to herself before immediately falling into Mercury's lap, her head coming comfortably to rest on his muscular upper legs above where flesh gave way to metal.

"My sister's such a lightweight." Yang snorted and Mercury looked helplessly at her for help, not entirely sure what to do about the girl laying in his lap looking as though she were going to fall asleep at any moment.

"She's had a long day and a hard time sleeping lately. Maybe the alcohol will let her get a good night's rest." It wasn't a secret that Ruby was plagued with nightmares lately, she would never talk about them and she tried to go one like everything was okay but they were all really worried for her.

"Yeah… I hope so." Mercury was barely listening as he looked down at the girl in his lap who wore the most content smile, pressing the back of her head against his lower belly as she made herself comfortable.

He could feel her breathing, every slight shift in her position and the vibration of her soft hums as her drink hit her hard. She giggled and cuddled but didn't really talk much the rest of the night, after almost an hour, her breathing became more steading and her body relaxed, she was curled up in a little ball between Mercury and Yang, all of them happy to see their little leader so blissful and peaceful.

"I'll carry her back." Mercury spoke softly so as not to wake her, his hand gently rubbing her head, her hat by his side, giving him access to her silky soft hair.

"Yeah, it looks like I'll have my hands full…" A stifled laugh drew mercury's gaze up, Yang leaning back ever so slightly to reveal that Neo too had fallen asleep against her side.

"Yang…" His tone cooled with compassion and worry, her soft gray eyes meeting her warm lilac as she waited patiently for him to say whatever seemed so important to him.

"Whatever we decide to do, I like this." He hadn't felt it… pretty much not ever, his father was a monster, Cinder was a monster but Ruby? She was different, she wanted to protect him, not use him. He almost laughed at the thought but… _It feels kinda nice, knowing I've got people who care about keeping me breathing._

"Yeah… so do I." This wasn't what Yang had planned, it wasn't what she would have wanted but this was her life and this was her team. She couldn't help but care about them no matter what they had done. _Maybe we really just need to stick together, like Mercury said, we're the only ones we can rely on now._

 _Maybe that's not such a bad thing._

* * *

 **Author's Note-**

 **Sorry my updates haven't been as frequent but we're approaching the Vol 4 finale (still got a good handful of chapters left so don't worry, I have big plans for this one) so I'll be updating a little more regularly. Also, I've given RYMN some downtime but things will be heating up real soon!**

 **Hope you enjoy!**


	59. The Settlement: Part 4

_I'm here again…_ Her thoughts echoed through the soundless void, reverberating off of the nothingness that surrounded her. She was alone as far as she could see, but she didn't feel alone, she felt like someone was watching. It wasn't a malicious force, it wasn't intent on harming her but rather, whatever was watching, seemed only to be waiting for something and not knowing what it was waiting for was what scared her.

Through the interminable blackness she did the only thing she could do, the thing she felt almost compelled to do; she started walking. Her bare feet seemed to wade through something without sensation and her naked, vulnerable form felt no air moving around her body nor any warmth or cold. In every sense other than her awareness, she felt as though she were dead.

Everything was muted and still, even her heartbeat made no pulse and her footsteps made no sound. Every motion felt empty and detached, as though she weren't the one making them and even so, she kept going, unable to stop herself from walking deeper and deeper into the now familiar darkness. She wasn't as afraid as before, even knowing what probably was waiting just beyond her reach, every step bringing her just out of arm's length from the terrors and monsters that surrounded her. Even knowing that, she still sensed something watching, and somehow, the more she walked, the more at ease that made her feel.

 _Why am I here?_ With every step she took she felt her control waning. She couldn't vocalize, she couldn't move her lips and even her breaths seemed to belong to someone else, her entire being seemed to be merely an entity comprised solely of thought. She was little more than an idea, a concept with awareness within a vessel that was no longer her own. Still, her thoughts echoed aloud and as she moved deeper into the void… the void responded. At first all she could hear were faint whispers and growls that seemed too distant to frighten her, but the whispers rapidly grew into a chorus of agonized screaming and begging and hatred.

She could feel the hatred and the pain of the grotesque hordes still just out of reach, only mere centimeters away. She could practically taste their malice as the bays for her blood rang out equally with the cries and screams of torment. The acrid and unmistakable scent of blood filled the air, a scent that was burned into her mind forever from the day she disemboweled Tuckson. An army of burning red eyes stared at her from all around, lighting up the darkness like sanguine stained stars in the night.

She was terrified. Every instinct was telling her to run, to get away, to do anything but go further… but her body was no longer hers. She kept walking forward and she could feel the tips of fingers reached out from the darkness, trying to grab her, to grip into her bare skin and pull her from her path, to rip her apart and pour their pain and suffering into her tiny, frail, scarred body. Despite her terror, despite the horror and every fiber of her non physical being screaming at her, filling her to her soul with mortal dread, all she could do was let her body take her.

 _P-please! I don't want to go in there! I don't want to be here! Let me go! Let me go please! I don't want to see! Just let me…_

"Go! Aaaaaah!" Her voice rang out, stinging her throat with its force, that minor pain eclipsed by the instant and unbearable, ungodly pain that felt like lightning and fire surged through her scar and into her brain, searing every single neuron as it made her convulse and cringe in agony, her hands shooting up to her head, cradling it helplessly as she waiting for the pain to ebb. With long, heavy breath that trembled from the suffering, she felt herself coming back in control of her body, snatching it away from whatever was controlling her.

She felt hot. Her naked body was drenched in sweat and her heart pounded fiercely in her chest, blood rushing through her ears dulled the sounds of the monsters that surrounded her. She was nauseous and trembling and adrenaline surged through her veins. All the sensations that she couldn't feel before hit her like a train. The floor was washed with blood, that's what she had been walking in, the monsters grabbing at her were cold and frantic, the air was cool with a nostalgic scent that brought her back to some her her most bittersweet memories… the subtle chill of autumn air that brought her back to her time at Beacon before the fall.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Her heart skipped a beat as a firm, cold hand grabbed her arm firmly, her voice quelling the monsters around her until they were little more than whispers and hisses once again.

"Pyrrha…" Ruby's voice died in the still air as a chill crawled up her skin. Part of her begged her not to look, to not turn around, to do anything but face her… but she did. Pyrrha was pale, her color washed out and her eyes dull as she held tight to Ruby's arm, towering over the smaller girl whose heart and gaze quivered with guilt and unbridled terror.

"You watched me die. You watched all of them die." In an instant the darkness was consumed by a blinding silver light that scorched away the void with its purity, leaving only the truth of what had been beyond the veil that terrified her more than anything else.

Her silver eyes grew wide and color drained from her cheeks as she beheld the carnage around her. Countless people, women and children, screaming, suffering… bleeding. Being consumed by Grimm and exterminated by hacked Atlesian Knights and the White Fang. The screams rose to a deafening roar as she watched them all get slaughtered by the reality she helped bring about. The death and destruction and pain and loss… all by her blood stained hands.

"I- I didn't- I didn't mean-"

"You didn't mean to? Is that what you were about to say?!" A roar saturated with rage broke through everything else and sending Ruby's heart into a panicked racing that she felt it would explode within her chest. Pyrrha released her arm, only to make Ruby look, to make her face the source of all that hate and fury.

"Yang! My memories, I wasn't me! I didn't mean for any of to-"

"You did this!" Her sister's eyes were burned a deep crimson, matching the blood that poured from her severed arm, collecting in the giant pool that Ruby stood in the center of. "All for what?! To free a criminal?! Do you know what he did as soon as he was free!? Whatever he did to those Atlas robots, it killed people Ruby! People are dead… so many people… and it's your fault!"

"I- I don't want this! Please!" Ruby's vision blurred with tears and her fear heavy, adrenaline weakened body finally collapsed into the shallow sanguine pool beneath her as her tears fell down, doing nothing to dilute the all blood she had spilled. Her pathetic trembling sent the smallest of ripples through the vital fluid of the slain, the tiny waves breaking on Yang's legs as she stepped closer, coming to a stop, standing over her little sister, glaring down at her with murderous rage.

"Do you think any of us wanted this?" Cold… a voice so infused with hate that it turned to ice as it left her lips. Ruby knew that voice, she didn't even need to look up, she didn't want to look.

"No… but none of that mattered Thistle." Ruby… gave up. The excuses, the lies, the things she told herself and others to justify what she had done, none of them mattered. "I just wanted Roman and Neo to be safe… I just wanted to protect my family. They were all I had. I didn't care what I had to do if it was for them."

The sound of chains rang out as the darkness consumed all, snuffing out the silver light, leaving only a small glow, enough to illuminate the four of them and the steel that wrapped around her, guided by two curved knives. The chains boud her tight, biting painfully into her skin and stifling her breathing and immobilizing her arms and legs, not that she had the strength or will to fight back. A bitter but amused huff of laughter left her lips as a thought intruded into her mind. _I'm a monster right? Them, they kill monsters. It's only right. I just bring suffering since I lost my memories, I'm not who I was before._

"And if I'm being honest… I kinda liked it." She never wanted to admit it, she even had trouble admitting it back then but… _It was fun. I knew the things I was doing would get people hurt but sometimes I liked it. I hated myself for it, I still hate myself for it but that doesn't change how I felt and how I feel. I liked it. Part of me liked it._

"Then there's no redemption for you." Thistle's dark and spiteful words were abruptly drowned out by the hissing and popping of the air around Ruby as her Semblance channeled through her chains. She could feel the vibrations, the tiny explosions slamming painfully against her skin.

 _This is what monsters deserve but…_

"It's over."

 _I don't want to die._

 **Fwoooosh!**

A hot orange glow erupted, burning away the darkness with the intense heat of flames. The pool of blood beneath her screamed as it boiled and burned but still she was unharmed, even as the searing heat melted the chains off of her skin, she was left without pain, feeling only a warmth that filled her heart with safety and relief.

As she got to her feet she was met by the dying screams of the phantoms that haunted her, all of them. Everyone she had ever hurt burned away in the cleansing fire. Pyrrha, Yang and Thistle reduced to ash as their flesh melted from their bones in seconds. Ruby stood in the flames, unharmed and unburned, kissed by the radiant heat that flicked in her mirror like eyes, beautiful and intense.

"You saved me." Ruby spoke into the flames, her heart at easy by the writhing of the inferno as it consumed everything. Her gaze was steady and fixed forward, looking through the hot glow… seeing a pair of silver eyes staring back at her.

"You don't want to die." Gentle but cool words spoke over the roar of the fire as the figure approached, walking through the conflagration without fear or pain, the brands of fire breaking against the contours of her naked body, falling into embers like spray from waves as they broke against a rocky shore. She was intense, her eyes passionate, hard and dominating but her smile tender and warm as the flames that surrounded them.

"You're me right?" Ruby stepped forward, this time, unlike the other times, she regarded her other self without fear. Embracing this truth within her as she had the truth of her feelings towards the things she had done.

"Something like that." She shrugged with a grin. "I'm glad you really came to terms with what you did. You need that if you're going to go forward and keep our family safe."

"Our… family?" As mired in her guilt and self hatred as she was, she had forgotten. _That wasn't Yang was it?_

"No. This is Yang." The other Ruby stepped aside, letting the fire around them wane as a bright golden light shined, ripping open the space in her dream, giving her a window to something real.

It was Yang… the real Yang. She was asleep, snoring softly beside her with her metal arm still attached and resting on her pillow by her head. She was smiling and twitching with whatever dream was playing within her mind. She was by her side, even after everything she had done.

"She's our sister. She never abandoned us. She forgave us and she embraced us. Yang loves us, she loves you, despite everything, she's here, facing the world by our side." The portal closed and the other Ruby approached until they were merely inches apart. "I enjoyed the things we did too. I liked the life we had and I'll miss it but I know we have to move forward and I'm hoping that we can do it together."

"How can I know that I liked doing horrible things and still feel guilty? How can I accept both of those things and how can I do whatever I have to do to keep my family safe now? I know that we're in danger and if I- if I don't do what Roman taught us, Yang, Mercury and Neo… I could lose them. I don't want to lose them but- but I just can't get rid of this guilt!" She wrapped her arms around herself in a fruitless gesture of self comfort, trying to ease the pain in her chest and quell the shaking in her body as she squeezed her eyes shut tight, the tears rolling down her cheeks glistening like precious gems in the light if the fire.

"You don't have to do it alone." Ruby's eyes shot open just as a her other self rushed forward, closing the gap between them as she threw her arms around the trembling, crying girl. She felt it, she felt her love and compassion shining with the warmth of a gentle spring sun. It was familiar, it was hers but also distinct, a connection that ran through their very souls.

"I'm afraid." Ruby gave into the warmth and love of the girl that held her and returned the embrace, wrapping her arms tight around her, clinging onto the only certainty, the only light in the darkness. "I'm afraid I'll become a monster… and that I'll like it."

"Our world isn't as simple as monsters and those who slay them, not anymore." With a gently and caring smile she imbibed the warmth of Ruby's touch as she softly rubbed her back, reassuring her fretful counterpart. "I can help you, I can do the things that would make you feel guilty. I can hold all the guilt for you, until you're ready. I don't like to see you suffering like this night after night, I don't like feeling the hate you have for yourself buried deep in the back of your mind. Let me help you."

"That wouldn't be right, that wouldn't be fair to you." With a long, deep breath Ruby forced herself back into composure, parting from her other self, now giving her a reassuring smile. "I think we should work together. It can't just be me getting all the happiness and good times while you get stained with blood."

"I kinda like it so it wouldn't be that bad." She looked bashfully down at the ground, grinning thankfully but awkwardly. "I'd like to spend time with our family too though. Let me do most of the fighting and give me time with them. I'll help you cope with anything you do that makes you feel guilty. Does that sound fair?"

"Yeah, that sounds fair as long as you're okay with it." She felt calm now, like she was at peace with herself. A tension that had been there since she woke up in her old bed back in Patch, that pain in her head that was constant but usually subdued was now all completely gone.

"We should wake up. I have a bad feeling about this town and I don't like being passed out because someone can't hold their liquor." She gave a teasing shove on Ruby's shoulder as she laughed playfully.

"Yeah, there's something about this place that seems off. I- I think I hear something anyway." She couldn't be sure, she felt like she could hear some steady sound from outside the reaches of her dream.

"Me too." She looked around the flame lit darkness in search of the source of the sound in vain. With a resigned shrug she looked back to Ruby. "You need to get up. Sorry about this."

 **Smack!**

* * *

"Wha!?" With a startle Ruby was jolted from her sleep, bolting up in their bed, soaked in sweat and somehow in her pajamas. It was dark but a light shining in from the nearby window gave her just enough light to see her surroundings.

With a fond smile her body relaxed as she looked down at Yang, sleeping just as she had seen within her dream. However, now sitting up, she saw something she couldn't before; a tiny woman with the pink side of her hair curled up around Yang, cuddling close to her in her sleep. _Wait, where's Mercury?_

Giving a stifled sigh Ruby slowly and carefully navigated the bed before finding its edge and swinging her legs over it only for her toes to hit something heavy and soft resting on the floor. With a slightly confused tilt of her head she looked down at, peering through the darkness until a soft laugh left her lips. At her feet Mercury lay on the floor, breathing steadily but laying as close to her side as he could without being in her way should she need to get up. _What a gentleman. No, it's more likely Yang and Neo made him sleep down there._

Ruby got to her feet as carefully as she could, not wanting to disturb anyone's peaceful sleep while she looked around the room, hoping the artificial light streaming in wouldn't end before it glinted off of what she was searching for. She could feel a growing sense of urgency from inside her heart and mind, compelling her to go faster, her head lashing from side to side as she walked quickly but quietly through the room until finally, she found what she was looking for. Soul Eclipsor, resting against a large wooden wardrobe with her hat… roman's hat on top of it. Her silver eyes hardened with determination and conviction as she grabbed both her folded up weapon and her hat, placing atop her head of very short black, red tipped hair.

Taking a steadying breath as walked to the door, taking one last long look at her team before smiling softly at them, her hand on the doorknob. _I'll be back._

As the door creaked open cool night air rushed in, swirling around her as she stepped into the town, closing it behind her while she kept close to the wall, looking towards the source of the sound and light. A truck was running, its engine humming with a distinctive sound while its lights shined out into the woods, its bed facing her. After a quick look around she closed her eyes and listened. _It's really late, why is there a truck running in the middle of the night and why does something feel so off about it?_

A sound took her attention from her mind, snapping her eyes open as she looked towards the truck, pressing her back against the wall as a man walked out of an adjacent building. She had to strain her eyes to make him out but as he walked past the glowing tail lights, she recognized him as the mayor of the settlement. However, her eyes weren't on his face for very long as her gaze was drawn to a small boy unconscious in his arms. _Wait… isn't the the boy from yesterday? The one that found us on the road and asked us to help fight the Grimm?_

She inched closer, holding Soul Eclipsor at her side against the wall so it didn't give her away as she watched him throw the boy carelessly in the bed of the truck, closing the tailgate behind him before pulling out his keys. Ruby was out of building and out of cover, if she tried to move any closer she wouldn't be concealed and it was too soon to make a move. So, all she could do was watch as the engine revved up and the truck began driving down the dirt path with the boy unsecured in the bed.

 _Go after him._

A voice from within her, familiar but distinct, its own entity spoke to her from her mind. For a moment, she wanted to deny it, to fight it, but the memories of her dream were still fresh in her thoughts.

"So, you're real. It wasn't just a dream." It felt weird but somehow, it felt okay at the same time. Talking to her other self made her feel okay about a lot of things, it made her feel better.

 _Yeah, I'm real. We have a lot to talk about but right now, you need to go after him._

"Right." With an affirming nod to herself Ruby stepped out from the cover of the cabin that team was fast asleep in. She hesitated only for a second, considering waking them to help her… _But there isn't time. Besides, I guess I'm not actually alone anyway._

With a long, deep breath Ruby stepped forward, rose petals scattering off of her, set faintly aglow in the light of the moon and with a single step she began a blur of red, air parting at her passing as she blitzed forward with immense speed, more that she had ever managed before, easily catching up with her target while keeping just out of sight, flowing through the trees as she moved like rose petals carried in the wind. She felt lighter, freer and stronger than ever before, she felt like something that she didn't even know was holding her back was gone. _I guess this is how it is when you work with yourself instead of fighting yourself huh?_

She waited, keeping up with the truck, following it further and further away from town but no response came from inside her mind. Still, she could feel her other self watching everything that was happening, guiding her, urging and encouraging her, but they couldn't exchange thoughts. _That's something I'll have to figure out later, right now it looks like he's slowing down._

She dropped from the higher branches of the trees, rolling to an easy stop on the edge of the forest floor beside the dirt road. Her senses were on edge and her alertness was peaked, there was danger around her in these woods, something sinister and malicious watching and waiting. However, she almost laughed at the fact that, at that moment, she was one of the sinister things watching from the darkness of the trees as the truck rolled to a stop.

She crouched down, watching him as he opened the door, leaving his keys in the ignition while the engine ran. Ruby though was much more focused on the object that now occupied his right hand, black and metallic that was barely illuminated in the red glow of the tail lights as he walked to the bed of the truck. He was carrying a pistol, and it looked like he had every intention of using it.

"Hey!" He came to a dead stop as a shout echoed through the forest. As he turned he watched a pale figure with silver eyes that reflected the light of the moon coldly like mirrors burning into his soul. Fear gripped his heart and he didn't even know exactly what he was more afraid of, being discovered, the weapon in the girl's hand… or her eyes.

"S-stay back!" He pointed his gun at her, baring his teeth as she backed up, opening the tailgate, letting it fall open with the boy limp and unconscious inside.

 _Let me take control._ Her other self finally spoke up again, her tone intense and almost pleading. Ruby could feel her at the threshold of control, just waiting for her to invite her in, to let her have their body. She was hesitant but the promise they made to each other in her dream was as clear as if it had been in real life.

"Okay." With a deep breath Ruby prepared herself for whatever losing autonomy might feel like. "Do whatever you need to do, I want to save the kid."

With a soft breath, Ruby let go and the world seemed to grind to a halt as the small girl's demeanor changed. It was colder, harder, more intense and utterly, terrifying. Slowly she stepped forward as her eyes opened, holding a different ferocity like frigid fire burned within them. Even with a gun pointed at her head, she moved without fear or hesitation, walking right up to the mayor, the trembling man having no recourse in the face of the indomitable force that encroached on him.

"Stop! I'll shoot you I swear!" She could practically taste his fear, a tiny smile pulling at her lips as her grip tightened around the still folded Soul Eclipsor. "I'm doing what I have to! No one is going to miss him now! This is necessary! If I didn't do this our settlement would have been overrun decades ago!"

"I think I understand." Even her voice was as bitterly cold as liquid helium as she came to a stop, the barrel of his gun only inches from her forehead but her eyes never faltered from his. "He lost someone, a parent or guardian. His grief would bring more Grimm so you're offering him up as a sacrifice to appease them."

"I- I'm just doing the only thing I can!" She couldn't help but think how pathetic the man before her was. Even if his intentions were noble. _He's a coward and a monster._

 _Grimm are coming, we need to finish this._ Ruby's voice echoed through her mind. It felt strange being the one in control, but it also felt nice having her other self watching over her.

 _It's almost over._ She responded to Ruby and unlike when she wasn't in control, she could feel her their thoughts exchange effortlessly. _Apparently I can only hear you when you talk out loud when you're in control._

"You're just doing what you have to do. You're protecting your family and your home. I empathize with doing whatever it takes to keep your loved ones safe." She could feel the tension, power in her muscles, the energy surging through her, her aura tensing in reaction to her surroundings. Her blood was coursing with energy as her adrenaline surged and her heart pounded. She loved those feelings, that thrill and that desire within both of them. Having a body had some nice perks.

"That's right, it's necessary! I have no choice! I'm doing this to protect my-"

Before he could say another word, a sharp pain shot up his arm. At first, he didn't know what happened, but as he looked up at the towering scythe, its terrifying blade glinting in the moonlight as a dark fluid dripped from its curved edge, he began to understand. He was trembling far harder than before as his gaze slowly drifted to his wrist, only to find that in less than a second, his hand had been severed, blood was spraying out, painting the girl's stoic face crimson.

"You're a monster. Ruby told me to pass that along to you." His blood was hot and sticky, warming her cool cheeks as it marred her pale skin with crimson. She grinned as she unfolded Soul Eclipsor, her weapon unfurling into its massive form, towering over them both. The man's weak and shallow breathing, the terror in every inhale and exhale, the fear he exuded from every fiber of his being, it called to the darkness within her and more than anything, it called to the Grimm that surrounded them.

With a flourish she twirled her weapon, sending the long sickle forward, effortlessly slicing through skin and flesh and viscera as she stabbed her weapon through his belly. A gurgled grunt of agony broken his shock induced silence as she looked him dead in the eyes, watching the light of life begin to fade from them. She grabbed onto the collar of his shirt, balling it up in her fist as she pulled her blade out of his body with intentional slowness, feeling his body give inch after inch while his legs gave from either shock or blood loss.

"The Grimm are here. Appease them with your own body and your own life." once her long blade withdrew from his belly she cast him down, throwing his bleeding, broken body, barely clinging onto life to the dirt. She watch a pool of blood spread out beneath him as he struggled to breath.

 _Ruby, I can't use your Semblance. Take the kid and get out of here._ She folded up the blood stained Soul Eclipsor, compacting it to its smallest form as she gave a soft breath, passing off their body to her counterpart, feeling her control slipping until she was resigned back into their mind.

"Thank you." Ruby whispered softly to her other self as she took control of their body. She was seeing the scene before her now with her own eyes, not through her counterpart's eyes. Everything she senses was different, just as real and like she remembered watching from within but still different in some fundamental way. Her gaze lingered on the dying man at her feet and the once hot blood was now barely warm as the air cooled it on her face and arm. She wasn't sure exactly what she felt other than gratitude to her other self. _Maybe I really am a monster. I don't think I feel anything._

"We'll have time for that later." Ruby shook her head, snapping her back into focus. She could see the burning red eyes of the grimm at the forest's edge, most on the man that lay bleeding to death beneath her.

 _That should keep them busy. Just hurry and grab him._

"I'm on it." Ruby nodded as she rushed over to the truck, pulling the limp boy out by her arm before throwing him over her shoulder, her weapon in her other hand. "You're safe now."

Just as the Grimm grew bold enough to lunge forward, Ruby and the boy vanished in a blur of rose petals. Behind her she could hear them mercilessly devouring the man they had murdered. _We did this, not her but both of us. I- I wanted this, part of me wanted this._

* * *

 **Slam!**

"Whoa! What!?" Yang bolted up from her peaceful slumber as the door was kicked open, breaking it off of its hinges before the bright light above them was switched on, stinging her eyes and bringing everyone to full alertness.

"Ruby!" In a blur Mercury was on his feet, the light burning his still adjusting eyes came second to what they all saw before them.

In the doorway, she stood carrying a young boy over her shoulder and her weapon in her other hand. She was panting for breath and her eyes were hard and intense as she looked at them, blood staining her clothes and skin. Neo and Yang staring at her with immense worry and fear but quickly Neo realized, it wasn't Ruby's blood.

"We have to leave. Now!"


	60. Solace

"Did you have to get so much blood on me?" A dull and soft voice spoke up as Ruby kneeled down on a smooth, flat stone, water gently lapping at it as the lazy river flowed ever onward. The early morning sun warmed called the tranquil forest to wake, birds chirping melodically in the trees while small animals scurried through the brush. Her bare knees came gently to rest on the cool rock as she leaned over the clear, shimmering water. The current was weak and slow, though rippling she could see her reflection in the clean river, discerning the crimson stains marring her porcelain skin, spattered cross her face and neck. The blood had long since dried but even though it wasn't her body at the time it happened, she still couldn't get the feeling out of her mind… _I didn't know blood felt so warm…_

 _Technically, I got it on me._ The voice her head giggled playfully, but Ruby could feel her counterpart's worry bleeding through the divide in their consciousnesses. She knew that the other her was concerned and trying to make light of the dark situation, and she couldn't help but smile a little despite her confusion from the previous night.

"Well technically, I'm the one cleaning it off." A small snort of laughter escaped her as she lowered her head, cupping her hands in the cool and refreshing water before splashing it onto her face. The water felt like a deep and cleansing breath as it washed over her skin before flowing from her face, taking the dried blood with it, parting from her in sync with a long and refreshed exhale.

 _Sorry, I got carried away but you saw the Grimm, we had to move fast. Besides, you didn't hate it so please stop feeling so sad. We saved the kid and got our team out safe, that's what matters right?_

"I don't know what I feel right now. This wasn't like with Tukson… I knew what was going to happen, I knew what you were going to do." She steadied herself with one hand on the rock while her other hand scooped up more water which she rubbed against her face, washing off the remaining blood from her skin. "How am I supposed to feel? Sad? Scared? Angry? Happy? Satisfied? Depressed? Excited? All I feel is confused and tired…"

 _I can tell you how you feeling the entire time but I think we need to get some sleep. I woke you up really early and we've been running from that town until sunrise. You've had a long day and you're not in the best state to process what we've done. Why don't we head back to camp and get some rest?_

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea, I'm pretty tired." The high of adrenaline had long since worn off and only her inner turmoil was keeping her awake though the splash from the river did help. "But what are we going to tell our team?"

 _What? About killing the mayor? Just tell them you were trying to save the kid, they'll understand._

"Not just that, I mean, how are we going to tell them about us? About you?" It was one of the many troubles plaguing her heart over the last several hours. After she and her team fled from the settlement, she had merely left them wondering with little explanation as to why.

 _I don't think it's a good idea. They don't need to know about me right now, it's probably best if we just act like everything's normal._

"There's another person in my head who talks to me, sometimes takes over our body and kills people. I don't think we can pretend to be even close to normal." With a soft sigh her tired legs forced her body up, her hand grabbing her hat, Roman's hat, that rested on stone beside her, placing it on her head and adjusting it to her comfort.

 _We've pretended to be good guys when we were hiding out at Beacon. We even fooled Ozpin, Yang, your dad and Qrow. We can do this!_

"I don't want to lie to the people I care about. I mean, Roman taught us how to be good liars but we never lied to him. I won't start lying to them." Ruby exuded finality with her last statement and she could just feel the resignation coming from her counterpart. "Why don't you want to tell them? I know you care about them too so why would you rather lie than talk to our friends?"

 _Because they're your friends… they probably won't even accept that I'm real. They don't know me so I shouldn't-_

"Pmmfff!" A barely stifled snort burst out as Ruby turned towards the forest, silently chuckling to herself with a big, amused grin on her lips.

'What's so funny?!' An indignant roar echoed between their minds, only making Ruby break out into a full on fit of laughter.

"You're scared! I just think it's funny, you were all tough and cool last night but now you're afraid our team won't like you. It's kinda cute." She could feel her counterpart's displeasure and the protest and refutation she wanted to shout, but after a few seconds, all of that was cooled away until Ruby could distinctly feel her other half's true feelings. Fear and worry weighed heavily in the apprehensive heart of the girl that had remorselessly taken a life only hours ago.

 _You aren't?_

"Nope!" Instantly and so simply Ruby destroyed any doubt about her certainty, her mind as clear and sure as the river behind them as they walked back into the forest.

 _You can't just say 'Nope'! I mean, what if they don't even accept that I'm real?_

"Nope."

 _What if they think I don't belong and try to cure you somehow?_

"Nope."

 _Will you stop that?! Your unfounded optimism is killing me!_

"Hmmm… nope!"

 _Okay, I get that you're just trying to cheer me up but I don't think you're taking this as seriously as you should be. It might not just be me they reject…_

"Lying isn't an option and I can't just go around talking to myself with no explanation. They're worried and we're doing this so get ready because this is happening."

"What's happening?" The familiar but deeply concerned and fretful voice of her sister stole Ruby's attention… she hadn't even realized she had made it back to their camp. There they all were, eyes glued to their leader with nervous apprehension, all them, Yang, Mercury and Neo were staring at her, eyes drawn to the blood spattered across her clothes and torso with flecks of crimson all the way down to her leg below her skirt.

"We need to talk…" She was feeling not only her nervousness and reluctance but her counterpart as well, and both of them desperately wanted to alleviate the fear and uncertainty in their loved ones' eyes.

"Yeah, I'd say that's pretty obvious." Mercury sat up from a downed tree that he was using as an impromptu bench. They all looked exhausted and worried but more than anything her boyfriend seemed scared, hiding it poorly behind a mask of anger, his gaze shifting momentarily to his grey tent, the only one of the group's that was completely assembled.

"How's he doing?" Both Ruby and her counterpart hated the feeling of all eyes on them, it was immensely unhelpful for their already high strung nerves.

"I think he was drugged, I don't know if he'll pull through but right now it seems like he's just sleeping." With a sigh Mercury shook his head, taking his rather soft heart's attention from the young boy asleep in his tent to his girlfriend. Leaves crumbled under foot as he walked forward, both Yang and Neo making way for his on his path towards their frighten and guilty looking leader.

"Something's going on, you're supposed to tell us when you need help or when things go wrong." He stopped, looking down at the shorter girl just inches away, those big, shining silver eyes were so filled with regret as they met his. Still, as confused and worried as he was, he reached his hands up gently but firmly grabbing Ruby by her arms, holding her while never deviating eye contact. Even through everything, comforting her came first, he could still vividly remember her first kill months ago in the book store in Vale and how much that experience shook her to her core.

"I know and I'm sorry…" His touch was all it took to break down a wall separating her from what she and her other had done. He could feel her starting to shake in his grasp before her body fell against his chest, her still water dampened face coming to rest at his throat while he wrapped his arms around her both to steady her and to reassure her that he was there for her. After a very long and stress filled exhale Ruby closed her eyes, imbibing the familiar scent of her boyfriend, letting her eyes flutter closed just as she felt two touches on her shoulders, one small and light the other firm and warm.

"I told you…" The young leader mumbled absently, smiling with contentment while her chest filled with warmth and light, feeling nothing but love around her, despite everything, she still had what was most important to her.

 _Ruby…_

"Told who what?" Again Yang spoke up, the three people Ruby cared about most stepped away, giving her space as she wiped her eyes.

"R-right, I guess I hate a lot to explain." Her breaths were shaky and her vision was clouded as she took small, tentative steps backwards, Mercury's hand reaching out towards here out of concern for her falling as they parted until she was standing far enough back to have her three teammates in her view.

"I woke up last night hearing a truck outside so we went to investigate. I saw the mayor with that boy in the back of the truck. He started driving so we followed him and-"

"Who else was with you?" Mercury raised an eyebrow to his leader knowing neither Neo nor Yang had any better of an idea of what was happening than he did.

"Yeah, I'll get to that in a minute." She could feel her and her counterpart's mutual dread growing, but she swallowed it back and kept going. "When I finally caught up with him we spoke and… the kid, he lost his parents in that Grimm attack. Apparently that settlement has a history of throwing grieving people to to the Grimm to appease them. After that… it needed to be done, otherwise the Grimm surrounding us would have attacked. It was over pretty fast, I don't think he suffered too much. After that, I grabbed the kid and ran away. You all know the rest."

 _Let me talk to them._

"Are you sure?" Ruby could instantly see her team's worry return as she talked seemingly to herself.

 _I'm sure, just be ready to tag back in when I've had enough please, I really don't like this._

"Alright then…" It was a feeling she still wasn't quite used to. She could feel herself falling as though slipping into a dream while wide awake. She could feel her entire body disassociating from her as the grasp she had on reality and physicality dissolved, leaving her as nothing more than an entity of thought, a spectator to the world through eyes that were once hers, now belonging to her other.

"I can explain the rest." Her eyes slowly opened, revealing a look that seemed entirely alien to the Ruby they knew, her silvers held the chill of liquid helium and the intensity of the most vicious flames.

"What do you mean? You're acting really weird Ruby…" Yang was the only one to pick up on the change. While Mercury and Neo both loved her little sister, they had only known her after she lost her memories. _But I know Ruby and that look was never her. On the train, fighting Torchwick's mech, her fight with Qrow… and then again, after she got her memory back. After she woke up she came to my room. I was so angry and I snapped at her. Back then, it was like she changed, just for a second, her head started hurting and she suddenly seemed so cold and hard, just like right now._

"This… it's going to be hard to believe. I don't even know where to start…" She was already desperate to switch places with Ruby but she resolved to at least get her started before they switched again. So, with stressful groan she rubbed her face with her hand and looked back up at her team, individually meeting each of their eyes before stopping very decidedly on Mercury.

"I'm not Ruby." She paused, taking in their reactions as her fear swelled to borderline panic. Confusion, shock and deep concern took over the expressions of her friends, their now very intent attention making her want to retreat back into the comfort and relative safety of their shared mind. Still, even as she felt herself freezing up, the reassurance of the psychological equivalent to a warm and affirming touch gave her strength, Ruby letting her know that she wasn't alone.

"I- I have a theory, but nothing I can prove, still, it makes sense to me." It was a struggle just to keep her eyes meeting her team's when her instincts were yelling at her to lower her head and look anywhere else.

"It all started when Ruby lost her- our memories." She tipped her hat on her head up and her eyes followed her hand as she brought a finger to the scar on her forehead. "This didn't just make her forget who she was… it deleted it. When she woke up she was vulnerable, scared and a blank slate. Roman came to us and without knowing anything else but the dark, damp room we woke up in, he became something of an anchor. Ruby was happy, she's still happy for all the time she spent with Roman and Neo, she wants you to understand that, especially you Yang."

She had to fight with her body to bring her gaze upon their sister, however, rather than affirming her worst fears, she found nothing in those lilac eyes but caring and a desire to understand, patiently waiting for her to say something that would make it all make sense. By Yang's side stood Neo, her normally vividly expressive face and eyes so subdued that she couldn't clearly discern what was happening behind them. After a brief pause, she collected her thoughts and with Ruby pouring as much support and solidarity as she could through their shared consciousness, she refocused and continued.

"I think, when she got our memories back, the conflict between who she was and who she became under Roman and Cinder… it caused her soul to fracture in two. One is Ruby, the other is me. Those headaches we've been having, they happen when either of us suppresses the other or tries to force or way into control. So that it, everything we know… oh, and I was the one that killed the mayor, for some reason I can't use Ruby's Semblance. Also, when I'm in control Ruby and I can talk to each other through thought but for whatever reason, when she's in control she has to talk out loud. Okay, now that's everything." Her fists were balled at her sides, squeezed tight to subdue the nervous and fearful shaking that was starting to overcome her as silence set in around their camp.

 _Ruby please help! I don't want to do this anymore!_

 _I thought you were doing great. You sure-_

 _Ruby!_

 _Fine! but I don't want to do this either, you're better at explaining this than I am. It's really weird for me too you know?_

"Well…" With a soft release of breath her eyes softened and her demeanor changed ever so subtly. If losing control felt like slipping into a dream, gaining it back felt like waking up, but in both instances she never lost awareness. "What do you all think of… all of this? I know it's a lot, I'm still overwhelmed by it. I'm not sure what any of this means or where we're going from here but-"

"You're serious…" Mercury's astonished and disbelieving voice was the first of her team to react, cutting her off he he stared dubiously at her. Ruby shrunk back under that look, her heart aching as her resolve waned. She knew it would be hard to swallow… _But he looks like he doesn't even believe us._

"Yeah… I'm serious." With a forlorn visage she walked forward, her cape fluttering softly behind her. Ruby felt her limbs grow heavier and heavier with each step she took towards her boyfriend, the only thing keeping hopelessness and hurt from overcoming her was that as she looked into his cool grey eyes, they softened with worry and guilt.

"You know I've been having a lot of nightmares…" Once again she fell into place against his chest, her arms hanging weakly at her sides. Instantly she felt so much safer, even though he didn't move, didn't hold her, she still felt safe, the smallest, most fragile smile pulling at her lips.

"She's been there, in the nightmares. Every time- almost as soon as I close my eyes I- I can see them… all the people I've hurt, the lives I destroyed and the people I've killed with my own hands. I can't get the scent of blood out of my dreams, I can't stop seeing their faces!" That was it, that pushed her over the edge, her heart was pounding and her body was shaking violently as she reached up, holding onto Mercury as tight as she could while tears blurred her vision before flowing down her cheeks. Images, flashes of memories and bolts of emotions. Her mind was ripped violently back to the night on the airship… the fall of Beacon. She and Neo mercilessly cut down more men than she could remember. Then, the train and her face off with Yang. All of the things she had done from Tukson to the Mayor, all of the lives she cut short were haunting her like ghosts. _I wish I never came back… I didn't want my memories! I didn't need them! I- I don't want to feel like this anymore!_

"Hey, it's alright." Finally, Mercury was snapped from his daze by the weak and shaky arms that held him and the warm tears that soaked through his clothes. After merely an instant of hesitation he brought his arms around her, holding her close and tight, letting her cry while he looked up pleadingly at his remaining teammates for help, finding himself far outside of his comfort zone but still desperate to help his leader.

Neo and Yang exchanged a long, worried look. Yang could hear the absolute heartache and pain in her little sister's voice, she wanted to something, anything to make the hurt go away. Her eyes hardened with resolve as she took a strong step forward towards her crying sibling, only to be stopped by a small soft hand at her wrist. Neo had spent the entire time listening and processing and Yang could tell by her look that she had come to her conclusion, and her answer was typed out on her Scroll that she held up for both Yang and Mercury to see.

 _"_ _Coping Mechanism."_

At that, Yang and Mercury looked to each other, Yang expectantly while her sister' partner shrugged tepidly while squeezing the still crying Ruby just a little bit tighter, resting his chin on top of her hat. To the elder sister however, her partner's assertion made sense… _And if this is what Ruby needs to start being herself again, I'll support her however I can._

"We're still here for you, you've still got people who care. Those ghosts, they don't need to haunt you." Despite everything, despite losing her friends, her loved ones, her home and even her arm… _She's still my sister and I still love her. Right now, the three of us is all she has._

Ruby felt two more warm bodies embrace her, one petite and gentle, the other strong and firm. She knew all three so well without ever needing to look up from Mercury's chest as she cried, the sound of screaming and the scent of blood slowly fading away, replaced by the steady breaths of her team, her family, and their warmth.

 _I guess you were right. It's all okay._

"It looks like you'll be okay…" A soft and deeply bittersweet voice spoke from high up in a tree, watching Ruby and her team embrace from a distance through a clearing in the branches as he took a drink of the strong liquor in his flask. _I hope whatever path you're on, you stick with them._


	61. Red

A warm and gentle rhythm, a steady beating that sustained the small and fragile life, two tender fingers pressed gently into the soft wrist, feeling the rushing blood in his veins and counting the young boy's pulse. Soft silver eyes looked down at him, the red tent set aglow with midday light, his chest rose and fell under his loose, worn out white shirt. Ruby guessed that he had to be pretty young. _Probably no older than fourteen, likely younger._

 _Fifty-one beats per minute. It's a little low… I think. His breathing is a little slow too. He's been out since I followed the mayor's truck, a good twelve hours now._ With a soft release of breath she gently put his hand back down on the blanket folded beneath him courtesy of her boyfriend. Her gaze was sad and somber as she reached up, running her fingers through his short, curly dirty-blonde hair. He looked like he was just sleeping but a small mark from a needle puncturing his arm recently told her otherwise.

 _Is he going to make it?_ A voice with worry equal to her own but subdued echoed through Ruby's mind.

"I don't know." It was painful to admit, Ruby hated just how powerless she felt. She could still clearly remember her body taking the Mayor's life to save the child, even if it wasn't her at the time, she felt everything, even the way his heart sprayed blood from his severed hand. "I'll keep checking his vitals the best I can every hour to see if he's improving."

 _I'll leave that up to you. Still, I hope he wakes up soon, not only for his sake but ours. We can't carry him around all the way to Mistral._ She was blunt, but she had to be. Ruby wasn't the most pragmatic person and she felt it was up to her to be the voice of hard reason.

"I don't think I want to know what the alternative would be." A long sigh escaped her lungs while she continued to gently pat his head. His hair was soft but oily and his face looked so peaceful, far removed from the painful reality he would wake up to.

 _I'll let you know if it comes to it, don't worry, we still have time. If we happen upon another village we can leave him there, though, this far away from the Kingdoms…_

"Yeah, it's not looking good. I'll leave that up to you, but for now we don't have to go anywhere. We've had a long night and a rough morning, we'll stay here, rest for the night and get an early start tomorrow." She was the leader now, she didn't have Roman or Cinder to fall back on, her team's life was in her hands… _So I need to start acting like it and listen to my team, especially her, since the other's probably won't. It's funny, the me from just a little more than a year ago probably wouldn't even recognize me now. I bet she'd be disappointed that she isn't growing up to be a hero like she always wanted. I bet Mom would be disappointed too…_

 _Are you okay?_ Clear thoughts couldn't pass from Ruby to her counterpart but feels permeated the psychological barrier between them effortlessly both ways and she could clearly feel Ruby's depression like a frigid wave.

"It's nothing… I'm fine." Lies between them were fruitless, Ruby knew that but this wasn't just a lie, it was a lie to herself. _I've done too much, I don't have the luxury of regret. Mom, Dad, Uncle Qrow, all the people that brought out the best in me from before, they can't have a place in the life I'm moving forward towards. I can't have it both ways, the happy family I loved and grew up with as that sweet and innocent little girl or the family I gained after I lost my memory, the ones who can embrace what I've become. I made my choice the day I left home with my team… just like before, I'm choosing to move forward._

"Hey… can I come in?" A hesitant and nervous voice spoke up from behind her, snapping Ruby from her thoughts as she turned around, the sunlight that streamed in from the opening of the tent sparkling in her ruby earrings dangling on shining gold chains from her ears.

"Hi Yang." Her sister's unexpected arrival did nothing to alleviate the sorrowful, downcast look on her face or the notes of depression in her voice. "It's Mercury's tent so…"

"So are you… you?" At that, Yang invited herself in, her eyes shifting awkwardly between her sister and the young boy as she kneeled down beside him across from Ruby.

"Yeah, I'm Ruby right now." Finally, a tiny but sincere smile graced her lips. It wasn't often she got to see her big sister so awkward, she couldn't help but find it endearing.

"Oh, okay." They had barely slept and Yang wasn't sure she had the capability to process everything that was happening. She, Mercury and Neo all agreed that they would support their leader, knowing what she had been through… _But I still can't help but be worried._

"Is she, you know, listening right now? Or something?" She wanted to be tactful as much as she wanted answers, she wasn't sure she could do both.

"Mhm, she's always listening, as long as we're awake. She's also watching, I'm the same when she's in control too. It's weird but kinda cool." Now Ruby felt awkward, unable to meet her sister's eyes as she shifted in place, looking back down at the boy between them as she struggled to find a way to fill the uncomfortable silence that was beginning to span between them.

"So is she like your evil twin or whatever? She does things like she did back in that village so you don't have to feel bad?" Worry was practically dripping from Yang's voice and Ruby knew she didn't mean anything bad by it but she could instantly feel a wave of hurt and discomfort coming from her counterpart inside their mind.

"No!" Ruby blurted out, her head snapping up and her eyes staring directly into Yang's with passionate intensity. "That's not it… she's not bad, or at least, she's not worse than me. She cares about me and she knows that I have a hard time killing so she does it for me sometimes, but I promised not to leave all of the bad up to her. She's her own person, it's like she said, my soul fractured in two and now there's me… and then there's her. Two different people, I can't really explain it any better than that."

 _Ruby, she doesn't even believe I'm real… I don't think you should keep trying to convince them. I knew this would be how it would go._ In what Ruby could only describe as a psychic sigh of dejection she heard her counterpart's resignation and hopelessness through the entirety of their being. She wished so hard in that moment that she could hug her, but all she could do was send waves of comforting feelings to her counterpart, letting her know that she wasn't alone.

"She's sad... she thinks you don't believe she exists, like I'm making her up." Her expressions were subtle and restrained but her eyes hardened as they fixed on her sister's. "Do the others feel that way too?"

"We're just trying to understand what this is. We're worried for you and confused and-"

"And you think I'm not!?" Yang flinched back at the sudden outburst, her eyes growing wide as she looked into Ruby's now shimmering silvers. The small leader's teeth were bared and gritted and her fists were balled up tight, a vast reservoir of emotions that she had held back from her team, her counterpart and herself was destroyed in an instant and both she and Ruby could feel everything with unbearable intensity.

"I'm scared! I'm scared! There's another person in my head! How am I supposed to- what does this mean!? I'm confused and I'm afraid and I don't know what I'm doing!" Yang watched in nothing short of shock as Ruby sat trembling across from her. She had never seen such desperation and fear and anger explode from Ruby before… and she couldn't blame her.

"I- I don't know how to deal with this any more than you or Neo or Mercury or her! I'm just- I'm just trying to keep our team together! I can't be scared, I'm the leader now, I have to protect you! All of you!" Those last three words weren't merely spoken, they were shouted, both outwardly and internally, screaming it loud into the totality of her mind, hoping the feelings and sincerity they carried would reach her counterpart.

"Hey," Her eyes and voice were as soft and gentle as her touch, her hands wrapping tight around her sister's, her arms reached out over the sleeping boy. In her chest Yang felt the gnawing of guilt and self directed anger while her thumbs tenderly stroked the sides of Ruby's palms.

"Just because you're the leader doesn't mean you have to put everything on yourself. We're supposed to support each other and no matter what… you're still my little sister. I decided that the day we left home, I'll protect you no matter what." A girl that look so confused and afraid looked up to Yang, she seemed nothing like the cold Ruby from the train or the Ruby she was traveling with or even her counterpart… _It's her, she's not lost, she's just changing. I still have my little sister, she's growing up right in front of me but I still need to be there for her._

"I came with you, knowing what you've done and what you could still do because I realized that, as messed up as it was, I cared about you more than the people you hurt. So even if it means getting blood on my hands, you can count on me." Her grip tightened and her eyes became so hard and serious, conveying the gravity of the words waiting on her lips as she stared straight into Ruby's big silvers shimmering in awe and gratitude for her sister's love. "Both of you. Both of you can count on me."

"Yang…" She could barely see now, her vision was completely clouded by tears of overwhelming relief and happiness as she held her hands as tight as she could. All she wanted to do was throw her arms around her sister but the unconscious child between them meant that all she could do was smile and sniffle, wiping away her tears with her wrist, never letting go of Yang's hand or the sense of comfort they gave.

"Hey, could I talk to her?" Yang's request drew an instant look of surprise and happiness to Ruby's face, slightly disbelieving but also hopeful as she stared bleary eyed at her sister.

"You want to talk to her? Really?" Cautiously optimistic, Ruby watched her sister grin, a reassuring look that told her that she was genuine, but something in Ruby's heart, or perhaps her counterpart's, was still afraid.

"If she doesn't want to I guess I understand, our reaction wasn't great but whatever this is, we need to support you and make sure you're okay. How can we do that without her? I mean, she wants to take care of you too right? Besides, I want to get to know our new teammate!" Yang, as usually was shining like the sun. She had a warmth that just made people around her feel safe and both Ruby and her counterpart could feel that so deeply and intensely that their guard was melted away like it was nothing.

"Okay," Ruby wore the most thankful and ecstatic smile Yang had seen on her in a long time and that at once made her happy… but also sad, knowing the time and distance apart the two have had over the last year.

"She wants to meet you too." Yang felt Ruby's hands gently slip out from hers as her sister's demeanor changed, everything about her at a fundamental level shifted. Within their shared body Ruby felt her grip on physicality waning, going from a corporeal existence to one of thought while her body was given to another of her own will while she descended into their shared mind.

"Is that… you?" Yang suddenly felt the slightest pang of regret as her discomfort rose, Ruby's eyes had become harder and colder, wary of the woman sitting across from her to the point of her posture becoming more defensive, her body turning slightly to its side facing Yang.

"Yeah, it's me. Not Ruby." She didn't look comfortable in the slightest, somewhere between nervous, scared and preemptively hostile.

"So you're the one that killed the mayor and saved this kid right?" It was the strangest feeling, it wasn't something she picked up on much the first time Ruby brought her counterpart out because of how emotionally charged everything was but… _Now, it really doesn't feel like I'm talking to the same person at all._

"I killed the mayor, Ruby took the kid and ran. I can't use her Semblance so…" Slowly but surely she was letting her guard down, not least because she could feel Ruby willing her to make friends with her sister despite her reservations.

"Why did you kill him instead of knocking him out or anything else?" She didn't plan on making this an inquisition, she didn't want to put Ruby's counterpart on the defensive. _I have to know if she's dangerous. Then again… how dangerous is Ruby?_

"He made us both angry and the Grimm were surrounding us. He said that giving them a sacrifice would help protect their settlement, we figured he deserved to play that part more than the kid who just lost his family." Finally, her eyes as hard and cold as ice softened for a moment as they looked down at the boy between them. "I probably didn't have to, but this had been a practice for a long time, throwing away grieving survivors to the Grimm. Ruby and I both agreed that we should kill him, I had our body at the time, so I did it."

"So, Ruby wanted to kill him too…" That was something she just couldn't wrap her mind around. No matter what happened after Ruby lost her memories Yang couldn't see her sister killing someone, even when she was nearly killed by Ruby herself.

"Don't think bad of her, no matter what she felt, I could tell the top priority to her was saving the kid." She looked earnestly up at Yang, trying to convey the certainty she felt to Ruby's sister. _I wish it was as easy to share feelings with others as it is with us._

 _I know, kinda sucks being separated from people like that when you're trying to tell them something that's hard to express, I was never great and dealing with people either._

"So… what did it feel like?" Yang shrunk back and immediately averted her gaze, looking down at her silvery metal hand, moving the fingers slowly into a fist. "I said a minute ago that I would follow Ruby and protect you both even if it meant getting blood on my hands… but I don't really know what that means."

"Mercury and Neo have killed people before, they don't have a problem with it, they might even enjoy it. Ruby killed people when she had her memory gone and now it seems like she doesn't have much of a problem with killing either from what you've said. Then… there's me." Her head shook lightly, dispelling the growing, burning hate that was welling up in her chest as she thought about the man that took her arm and what she would do if she found him. "I've never killed anyone, I've killed a lot of Grimm but people… people have lives and a past and family and friends, people who feel pain and love and fear, once you take that life, something precious and unique is gone. I understand that much and if it came down to it, I might do it but I need to know, since we're going down this path, whatever Ruby chooses… what's it feel like?"

"Can I tell you a story?" She spoke up with a voice that was gentle and compassionate even while her expression remained nearly impossible to read but her eyes looking patiently to Yang.

"I… guess?" Now Yang was wary, what kind of story could answer her question. Was she evading it? Was the answer so terrible that she didn't want to say it directly? _She said that both her and Ruby wanted to kill him… is it possible they both enjoyed it? Is that why she doesn't want to tell me? To keep me from thinking of Ruby as a monster?_

"Back before Ruby got her memories back and we were working for Torchwick, not long after we fought Blake, Sun, Penny and Thistle at the docks, Mercury and Emerald brought us… well, I guess her, but I was sort of there too. Anyway, Ruby, Mercury and Emerald went to a book shop in Vale to take care of a problem. His name was Tukson."

 _My first kill…_ Ruby's thoughts echoed with solemn understanding between them. _I wish someone had a talk like this with me before I did what I did. I still remember how cold and numb it felt afterwards._

"Tukson was a Faunus, a member of the White Fang. He tried to defect, to run away. We couldn't allow that, he would have been a liability to Roman. So Emerald and Mercury decided to take it into their hands and Ruby tagged along. She was afraid, she knew what was coming but she was determined to help Roman, somehow, she thought by at least being there and watching, maybe she could become okay with the things she would have to do for him." As the story went on, Yang couldn't be sure what unnerved her more, the place she knew this story would end, or the fact that the teller of the story was smiling as she recounted it.

"Emerald questioned him, she had fun with it, playing with him, knowing what she was going to do. Ruby admired her confidence back then, even a little envious. When it became apparent to him that he was going to die he decided to fight. It looked like he would attack Emerald or Mercury first but instead, he looked right at Ruby. He jumped and she reacted. He died painfully, he didn't have aura protecting him, Inferno Crescent did a lot of damage and it was messy…" Her smile faded… mostly. Her eyes watched carefully for Yang's reactions, she could see horror, empathy and sorrow but surprisingly, no disgust or disdain for her or Ruby.

"Ruby was destroyed by that, it broke something inside of her that can never been repaired. It changed her, killing him was the point where everything clicked about the life she was choosing. Sometimes we still get flashes back to that day, they're really vivid but over time, what it made her feel has changed too." She could feel a tugging within her soul as Ruby recoiled from that last revelation. She knew it was something Ruby didn't want to acknowledge herself let alone have it revealed to her sister… _But she needs to be ready for it if they days comes._

"So what you're saying is, it gets easier?" That look, those eyes full of hope and fear and sadness and pleading that looked up to her made her want to reach out and hold Yang, striking a powerful pang of empathy and caring in her heart.

"It did for us, still, it took a long time to okay with it." She wanted to reach out and at least take Yang's hand, to hold it and try to offer some physical comfort while she had a body to do so, her own hand even raised up slightly… before falling back down as she looked nervously away, her fear getting the better of her. "But it did get better. Everyone is different but you're strong, it might haunt you for a while but you'll find a way to be okay with it. I think for Neo and Mercury, killing more helps them be okay with it, that's why they like it, especially Neo. I'm not saying you'll be like them but no matter what, we'll support you too and get you through it if it ever comes to that."

"I've been stressed out about it and now, seeing you or Ruby bursting into our room in the middle of the night covered in blood… I guess it made me realize what side we're really on and what my team… my friends, are capable of. If I don't want to hold you all back, if I want to protect you, I have to be able to do it, because I know some day it's going to come to that." Yang reached up to her face, her cool metal fingers brushing aside stray strands of her long, blonde hair before she rubbed her artificial palm over her face, wiping away sweat and easing her stress and worry with her own touch.

"Ruby is going to do everything she can to make sure that doesn't happen to you but when it does, and it almost definitely will… at least you're in good company." She smirked, forcing her hand to move despite her fear, reaching out, again hesitating for a moment… before taking Yang's metal hand in her own, feeling the connection to another person like a breath of fresh air relieving all the built up tension she felt.

"Yeah, at least there's that." Yang gave a soft, thankful but true laugh, gently tightening her grip around the hand that held hers. "Thanks for talking with me, I'm glad you did, I think I understand you a little better now even though I kinda let it be all about me. Sorry about that heh-heh…"

"Don't be, I'm glad I could help." A bright and very pleased smile shined from her face while her fingers took in the texture of the smooth metal that made up Yang's prosthetic limb. It felt like Soul Eclipsor but warmer and… softer some how, like it channeled some of who Yang was through it.

"Can I ask you one more question?" Yang seemed a lot more like her old self, bright and confident, it was like a weight was lifted off of her from her talk with Ruby's counterpart and all three of them could tell that they all gained something from their time together in that tent.

"Sure, I guess." She tilted her head curiously at Yang, begrudgingly bringing herself to let go of the brawler's hand.

"Do you have a name?" Yang couldn't help grin at the perplexed and surprised look on her sister's face.

"A name?" It made sense, between her and Ruby there wasn't much of a need for names since they shared a mind and body but she could understand how it could be confusing for people on the outside.

"Yeah, you know, what do we call you?" Yang looked eagerly but patiently at the young woman sitting across from her, getting a small kick out of how flustered she began to look.

"Um… uuuh…. I don't-"

 _Red._

"What..." Suddenly her eyebrows raised and her eyes grew wide with such a wide breadth of powerful emotions that Yang couldn't begin to decipher them.

 _Red, your name can be Red._ Ruby's voice spoke to her from within their mind, happily and simply giving the name to her counterpart. Though her voice sounded so normal to her, she could feel what she could only describe as waves of acceptance and affirmation coming from Ruby, reaching out to her like a hand to pull her up.

"What's wrong? Does Ruby have an idea?" Yang could only guess but the sudden shift that seemed to come out of nowhere in her new teammate's demeanor seemed like something her sister would be responsible for, she could almost imagine her voice chiming out a great idea with such simplistic certainty that it would illicit such a reaction.

"R- Red… my name's Red." Red shrunk back, looking shyly away from Yang while her cheeks tinted a soft shade of pink.

"Isn't that…"

 _What Roman called us. I think it fits._ Ruby couldn't have sounded more pleased with herself.

"Welcome to the team then, Red." Yang reached out her hand, her real hand, the one of soft, warm skin, watching while Red looked nervously at it… before slowly extending her own hand, instantly feeling a difference in the warmth she felt, even down to the subtle pulse running pushing the blood through her veins.

"Thank you…" The happiest smile she had ever wore pulled at her lips, she couldn't even meet Yang's eyes as she shook her hand but her heart felt like it could explode with bliss.

 _Roman Torchwick… in the end, you got what you wanted huh? Like you said when they were taking you to prison, I was your backup plan. You didn't trust Cinder and you knew that I would keep Ruby safe. Now, I am._ She couldn't help but give a halfhearted laugh at the way their story had unraveled since then, and the fact that someone she hated with the greatest intensity she had ever felt for anyone had now become someone she wanted to thank, for taking care of her little sister.

"What's wrong?" Red gave her teammate a worried look but Yang merely shook her head.

"Nothing, but can I talk to my sister? There's something I sorta promised I would tell Ruby a long time ago that I don't think I have yet." It was long overdue, the hatred that had kept her from it was gone and now, she wanted to give Ruby some sense of closure, knowing now just how painful a loss she suffered when Roman died.

"Sure." Red gave a firm nod before relaxing her body and then, once more, her eyes softened and her entire being seemed to change in some fundamental way. She didn't need to be told, it was her sister.

"Do you remember when you and Torchwick brought the Grimm into Vale with that train?" There's wasn't a hint of accusation or misgiving in Yang's voice or smile but still, Ruby looked defensive.

"Yeah, I remember. I attacked you on the train, then fought Weiss and Thistle and then-"

"Torchwick was captured." Yang deliberately skipped over the parts she felt were inconsequential now, getting a visible look of confusion from her sister. "I confronted him just as they were taking him onto the airship to be brought to prison. He wanted me to give you a message, I don't really understand it but I think you might."

"W-what was it?" The leader's voice wavered as her throat tightened and her heart ached. She reached up to her head without even thinking, her fingers grasping at the brim of the hat that Roman had given to her just before…

"He said; ' _Tell her she was right. I didn't want to lose her._ '" Those words hit Ruby immediately and powerfully like the hardest impact imaginable, shattering her heart.

All the grief she never truly processed, all the pain and sorrow and longing to have someone back who was gone, all of it came back like a tsunami. Her fingers squeezed tight on her hat while her lip quivered over clenched jaws. She remembered it so clearly, just before she left Roman and Neo to fight Team WYBT, she remembered their conversation. Crystal clear droplets rolled down her cheeks while her body quietly convulsed with weak and pain filled sobs.

 _I know… I know you didn't Roman. I always knew you cared, no matter how bad you were at- at showing it. No matter what anyone else thought… no matter what you asked me to do. I- damn it! Why couldn't I save you?! Why!? All those people I killed and I could save even one! The one person who saved me… and I couldn't do anything but watch you die._

"Ruby… I'm sorry. I'm sorry you lost him." Yang's head and gaze fell solemnly, giving her sister room to grieve while she analyzed the why those words felt leaving her lips. _I really mean it too. I hated Mercury for what he did during the tournament, I hated Neo for keeping Ruby from me and I hated Torchwick for taking her from me in the first place. Now? Mercury is a good friend who pulled me out of the worst place I had ever been in, he's my sister's boyfriend and he's a smart ass but I care about him. As for Neo… well, she and I… I don't even know, but she's a good partner and I care about her too. Just now, I've finally forgiven Torchwick for everything. I don't hate my sister for what she's become. I guess it really is this easy to go down this path, how can I hold it against Ruby when I'm doing the same thing for the same reasons?_

"Hmm…" A tired and weak groan filled the tent snapping Ruby and Yang from their turbulent storms of emotions, Ruby hastily wiping away her tears, forcing back the grief in her heart for another time as she turned her still blurry gaze down to the source of the sound.

"Hey, hey! Are you with us?" Ruby spoke loudly and clearly, grabbing his wrist in one hand while softly patting his cheek with the other, taking his pulse while trying to bring him more into alertness.

"W-where…" Before he could get another word out he fell into a coughing fit, his throat painfully arid.

"Yang, get some water for him." Ruby looked up, still counting his pulse, trying to do whatever she could to take her mind off of her aching heart and onto helping the child.

"Got it!" At her leader's command Yang rushed out of the tent to fetch a canteen of water, leaving Ruby and the boy alone.

"Hey, it's okay, you're safe here." She smiled as his golden brown eyes fluttered open, her middle and index finger pressing gently into his wrist to catch his heartbeat. _Still seems low, I wonder what they gave him?_

"W-where… is… my… sister?"


End file.
